Verb · A2 · Spanish glossary

Volver: to return, to come back

volver

Pronunciation: bohl-BEHR (stress the capital letters)

Volver means “to return, to come back” in English.

Quick answer

  • Meaning: to return, to come back
  • How to say it: bohl-BEHR
  • Present: yo vuelvo, tú vuelves
  • Level: Elementary (A2)

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What “volver” means and how to use it

Volver means “to return” or “to come back.” With “a” plus an infinitive, it means to do something again.

How to conjugate “volver”

Present tense and key past forms
WhoSpanishEnglish
yovuelvoI
túvuelvesyou (informal)
él, ella, ustedvuelvehe, she, you (formal)
nosotrosvolvemoswe
ellos, ustedesvuelventhey, you all
Past (preterite)yo volví, él volvióI / he or she
Past participlevueltoused with haber

Examples with audio

  • Vuelvo a casa a las seis.I return home at six.
  • Vuelve pronto.Come back soon.
  • Voy a volver a intentarlo.I am going to try again.

Usage tip

Volver a plus an infinitive means “to do again”: volví a llamar (I called again). The past participle is irregular: vuelto.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “to return, to come back” in Spanish?

“to return, to come back” in Spanish is “volver.” It is pronounced bohl-BEHR, with the stress on the syllable in capital letters.

How do you pronounce “volver”?

Say bohl-BEHR. The syllable in capital letters gets the stress. Press the speaker button at the top of this page to hear it.

What is the past tense of “volver”?

In the preterite, “yo” is “volví” and “él” is “volvió.” The past participle is “vuelto.”

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