'Volver' and 'regresar' mean going from one place to another and then arriving again at the starting point. In many contexts they are interchangeable, because both express return. The main difference lies in the tone and in the type of Spanish that is preferred in each region.

'Volver' is very common in everyday conversation. It is widely used to talk about returning to a place, resuming an activity, or repeating something. It also appears in fixed expressions and with figurative meanings.

'Regresar' is more common in formal registers and careful writing, especially in some countries. It is associated with the literal sense of returning to a place of origin. In certain contexts it sounds more neutral or more elegant than 'volver'.

'Volver' tends to sound more natural in casual conversation and informal messages. 'Regresar' may sound more cautious or more typical of narration and news. The choice changes the tone, but not always the basic meaning.

'Regresar' tends to focus on the round-trip movement, like a journey. 'Volver' can focus on the result of being back in a place or in a situation. This difference is subtle and often depends on context more than a fixed rule.

'Volver' appears in many fixed expressions of Spanish. These expressions usually have a figurative or idiomatic sense, and they are not easily substituted by 'regresar'. Learning them helps you sound more natural.

'Regresar' appears in typical phrases used in announcements, news, and documents. It is also common in official or institutional contexts. In these cases, it is preferred for clarity and for stylistic tradition.

The preference between 'volver' and 'regresar' changes by region. In Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, 'regresar' is very common in everyday speech. In Spain and the Southern Cone, 'volver' is normally the more frequent option in conversation.

Both 'volver' and 'regresar' are used with 'a + place' to indicate the destination of the return. They are also used with 'de' to indicate the origin of the return. These prepositions keep clear where one returns to and from where one returns.

'Volver a + infinitive' means repeating an action. 'Regresar a + infinitive' may appear, but it usually means returning to be able to do something, not repetition. Therefore, for repetition, the natural form is 'volver a + infinitive'.

'Volver' is the most frequent option in general Spanish to talk about returning and repetition, especially in informal speech. 'Regresar' is very common in Mexico and sounds more formal or neutral in many texts. In most everyday situations, both options are understood, and the main difference is preference and style.