Go Loco | Learn a language with advanced AI

Spoken Description

Aprende las diferencias entre volver y devolver: usos, matices y ejemplos claros para evitar errores comunes al hablar y escribir en español. Incluye contextos prácticos y sustituciones.

-:- / -:-

Learn the differences between volver and devolver: uses, nuances and clear examples to avoid common mistakes when speaking and writing in Spanish. Includes practical contexts and substitutions.

In Spanish, volver and devolver both relate to returning but serve different roles: volver focuses on returning to a place or state, while devolver means giving something back to someone. This guide highlights their core uses, with example sentences to clarify when to choose each verb.

Volver

Volver means to return to a place, activity, or state, and is often followed by a destination or an infinitive for "to do something again." It emphasizes the subject's movement or resumption. Use volver when the focus is on coming back rather than giving an item.

	Spanish Sentence	English Sentence
	Ella volvió a casa temprano.	She returned home early.
	Volvimos a estudiar después de la pausa.	We returned to studying after the break.
	¿Cuándo vas a volver al trabajo?	When are you going to return to work?

Volver significa regresar a un lugar, actividad o estado, y suele ir seguido de un destino o de un infinitivo que indica "hacer algo otra vez". Enfatiza el movimiento del sujeto o la reanudación de una acción. Usa volver cuando el énfasis está en volver a un lugar o situación, no en devolver un objeto.

Fill in the BlankYo(volver) al trabajo después de la pausa.

I return to work after the break.

1 of 3

Devolver

Devolver means to give back something to its owner and is followed by the item being returned and optionally the person who receives it. Use devolver for the act of returning possessions, money, books, or any tangible thing to someone else.

	Spanish Sentence	English Sentence
	Te devolví el libro ayer.	I gave you back the book yesterday.
	¿Me puedes devolver el dinero?	Can you return the money to me?
	Ella devolvió la chaqueta que había prestado.	She returned the jacket she had borrowed.

Devolver significa devolver algo a su dueño y suele ir seguido del objeto que se devuelve y, opcionalmente, de la persona que lo recibe. Usa devolver para la acción de devolver posesiones, dinero, libros u otras cosas tangibles a alguien más.

Fill in the BlankEllos me(devolver) los libros esta mañana.

They return the books to me this morning.

1 of 2

Key Difference

Remember: use volver for returning to places or activities and devolver for returning items to people. They are not interchangeable because one denotes movement or resumption volver and the other a restitution of an object devolver.

Summary

Use volver when the focus is on coming back to a place or repeating an action and devolver when giving something back to its owner. Practice with sentences that highlight returning versus returning an item to solidify the difference.