volver is a commonly used Spanish verb meaning "to return" or "to come back." It expresses the action of going back to a place, situation, or state. Because volver describes a change of state, it is typically conjugated with the auxiliary haber in compound tenses and sometimes with estar + gerund for ongoing actions.
- Expresses returning to a place, person, or situation
- Can be both literal (physically returning) and figurative (resuming)
- Regular -er verb for most forms, but volver is a stem-changer in the present (o → ue): vuelvo, vuelves...
*volver* means 'to return' or 'to come back.'
Basic Meaning and Use
Volver means "to return" or "to come back" and is used when someone (or something) goes back to where they were before, or when a situation or action resumes.
- Use volver for people or things that are returning somewhere.
- It can also mean "to resume" when referring to actions or situations.
Examples:
- Ella vuelve a casa a las seis.
She returns home at six.
- Después de las vacaciones, volvemos al trabajo.
After vacation, we return to work.
*Volver* is used for returning to a place or resuming an activity.
Conjugation Pattern
Volver is a stem-changing verb (o → ue) in the present tense and some related forms. It’s a regular -er verb for other tenses, except for the stem change in the present/future/conditional stems.
| Tense | Example (yo) | Stem Change? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | vuelvo | Yes (o→ue) | vol- + regular -er for others |
| Preterite | volví | No | Regular -er endings |
| Imperfect | volvía | No | Regular -er endings |
| Future | volveré | Yes (volver→volver-) | Regular endings |
| Conditional | volvería | Yes (stem: volver-) | Regular endings |
| Subjunctive Pres | vuelva | Yes (u stem) | vuelv- + endings |
*volver* changes its stem from o to ue in the present tense: vuelvo.
Present tense:
yo vuelvo, tú vuelves, él/ella vuelve, nosotros/as volvemos, vosotros/as volvéis, ellos/as vuelven
Present Tense Usage
In the present, volver is used whenever someone returns regularly, habitually, or right now.
- Use the stem-changed forms for all but nosotros/as and vosotros/as.
Examples:
- Mis amigos vuelven del trabajo todos los días.
My friends return from work every day.
- ¿Cuándo vuelves tú?
When do you return?
- Nosotros volvemos en verano.
We return in summer.
They return = 'Vuelven' (with stem change).
Preterite Tense
In the preterite, volver is used to say that someone returned (and finished returning) at a specific point in the past.
- No stem change; use regular -er verb endings.
Yo form: volví
Tú form: volviste
Él/Ella/Ud.: volvió
Nosotros: volvimos
Vosotros: volvisteis
Ellos/Ellas/Uds.: volvieron
Examples:
- Ellos volvieron tarde anoche.
They returned late last night.
- ¿Volviste a verlo?
Did you return to see him?
In preterite, 'yo' = volví and 'ellos' = volvieron.
Imperfect Tense
Use the imperfect to describe ongoing, repeated, or background returning in the past.
- Regular -er/-ir imperfect endings, no stem change.
Yo: volvía
Tú: volvías
Él/Ella: volvía
Nosotros: volvíamos
Vosotros: volvíais
Ellos: volvían
Examples:
- Cuando éramos niños, volvíamos siempre a la misma playa.
When we were kids, we always returned to the same beach.
- Ella volvía tarde cada noche.
She used to return late every night.
Use *volvía* for habitual or ongoing returning in the past.
Volver + a + Infinitive
Volver can be used with a + infinitive to express doing something again—"to do something again."
- This is a very common and useful construction.
Example:
- Volver a + infinitive = to do [something] again
Volvimos a ver esa película.
We watched that movie again.
- María vuelve a estudiar francés.
María is studying French again.
*volver a + infinitive* means 'to do something again.'
Stem-Changing Summary
| Tense/Use | Stem | Example (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| Present | vuelv- (o→ue) | vuelvo |
| Present Subjunctive | vuelv- | vuelva |
| Future/Conditional | volver- | volveré/volvería |
| Others (Preterite, Imperfect) | vol- | volví, volvía |
Conclusion
Volver is essential for expressing the idea of returning—whether to a place, person, or activity—in Spanish. Its stem change and uses with a + infinitive make it important for both beginners and advanced learners.
- Use volver for literal or figurative “returning”
- Remember the o→ue stem change in present/future/conditional
- Practice volver a + infinitive to say “do again”