After reading this “volver” conjugation in Spanish, you’ll want to come back to learn more!
“Volver” is the Spanish verb for “to return”. It is an irregular verb, which means its conjugations do not always follow the standard patterns found in regular verbs. It’s one of those versatile verbs that pops up in everyday conversations and classic Spanish songs alike.
In today’s blog post, we’ll explain all the conjugations in Spanish for this verb and provide example sentences so you can understand how to use it properly.
Are you ready to learn this verb conjugation? Let’s dive right into it!
Read more: THE 150 MOST COMMON SPANISH VERBS (IRREGULAR + REGULAR)
“Volver” Conjugation in Spanish Indicative / Indicativo
The indicative tense (el modo indicativo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The indicative mood is used to make factual statements, ask questions, and express opinions about actions or events that are considered real or certain.
Present Tense Volver Conjugation / Presente
The present tense is used to describe actions happening in the present or to express general truths or habitual actions.
Yo | Vuelvo |
Tú | Vuelves |
Él/Ella/Usted | Vuelve |
Nosotros | Volvemos |
Vosotros | Volvéis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Vuelven |
Examples:
- Siempre vuelvo a casa a las seis de la tarde. (I always return home at six in the evening.)
- ¿Cuándo vuelves de tus vacaciones? (When do you return from your vacation?)
- Volvemos al trabajo después del almuerzo. (We return to work after lunch.)
Simple Past Volver Conjugation / Pasado
The simple past tense (preterite) is used to describe completed actions in the past, often with specific time frames or events.
Yo | Volví |
Tú | Volviste |
Él/Ella/Usted | Volvió |
Nosotros | Volvimos |
Vosotros | Volvisteis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Volvieron |
Examples:
- Volvimos temprano de la fiesta porque estábamos cansados. (We returned early from the party because we were tired.)
- ¿A qué hora volviste anoche? (What time did you return last night?)
- Ella volvió a la tienda para comprar más frutas. (She returned to the store to buy more fruit.)
Imperfect Volver Conjugation / Imperfecto
Spanish imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing, repeated, or habitual actions in the past, as well as to set the stage or provide background information
Yo | Volvía |
Tú | Volvías |
Él/Ella/Usted | Volvía |
Nosotros | Volvíamos |
Vosotros | Volvíais |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Volvían |
Examples:
- Yo volvía a este parque todos los domingos cuando era niño. (I used to return to this park every Sunday when I was a child.)
- Volvíais siempre tarde de la escuela en verano. (You all always used to return late from school in the summer.)
- Volvíamos a casa juntos después de las clases. (We used to return home together after classes.)
Present Continuous Conjugation / Presente Continuo
The present continuous tense (also known as “estar + gerundio”) is used to describe actions that are currently happening in the present moment or to express temporary situations.
Yo | Estoy volviendo |
Tú | Estás volviendo |
Él/Ella/Usted | Está volviendo |
Nosotros | Estamos volviendo |
Vosotros | Estáis volviendo |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Están volviendo |
Examples:
- Estoy volviendo a casa después de un día largo en el trabajo. (I am returning home after a long day at work.)
- Él está volviendo de sus vacaciones hoy. (He is returning from his vacation today.)
- ¿Estáis volviendo al hotel ahora? (Are you all returning to the hotel now?)
Future Tense / Futuro
The Spanish future tense is used to express actions or events that will happen in the future, indicating something that has not yet occurred.
Yo | Volveré |
Tú | Volverás |
Él/Ella/Usted | Volverá |
Nosotros | Volveremos |
Vosotros | Volveréis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Volverán |
Examples:
- Volveré a visitar este lugar el próximo verano. (I will return to visit this place next summer.)
- Volveremos a casa después de la boda. (We will return home after the wedding.)
- Ellos volverán mañana por la noche. (They will return tomorrow night.)
Conditional Volver Conjugation / Condicional
The conditional tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions or events that would happen under certain conditions in the present or future.
Yo | Volvería |
Tú | Volverías |
Él/Ella/Usted | Volvería |
Nosotros | Volveríamos |
Vosotros | Volveríais |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Volverían |
Examples:
- Usted volvería a este restaurante si tuviera tiempo. (You would return to this restaurant if you had time.)
- ¿Volverías a vivir en tu ciudad natal? (Would you return to live in your hometown?)
- Ellos volverían más temprano si no hubiera tráfico. (They would return earlier if there weren’t traffic.)
Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto
Spanish present perfect tense (also known as “pretérito perfecto compuesto”) is used to express actions that have occurred in the past but have a connection to the present, emphasizing the result or consequences of those actions.
Yo | He vuelto |
Tú | Has vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Ha vuelto |
Nosotros | Hemos vuelto |
Vosotros | Habéis vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Han vuelto |
Examples:
- Ella ha vuelto de sus vacaciones con muchas historias interesantes. (She has returned from her vacation with many interesting stories.)
- Hemos vuelto al mismo lugar porque nos encantó la primera vez. (We have returned to the same place because we loved it the first time.)
- He vuelto a leer mi libro favorito esta semana. (I have returned to reading my favorite book this week.)
Past Perfect Volver Conjugation / Pretérico Pluscuamperfecto
Spanish past perfect tense (also known as “pretérito pluscuamperfecto”) is used to describe actions that occurred before another past action or event, expressing a past-in-the-past relationship.
Yo | Había vuelto |
Tú | Habías vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Había vuelto |
Nosotros | Habíamos vuelto |
Vosotros | Habíais vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habían vuelto |
Examples:
- Habíamos vuelto a casa antes de que empezara a llover. (We had returned home before it started to rain.)
- Había vuelto al gimnasio después de meses sin entrenar. (I had returned to the gym after months without working out.)
- Él había vuelto al trabajo antes de que lo esperaran. (He had returned to work earlier than they expected him.)
Future Perfect / Futuro Perfecto
The Spanish future perfect tense is used to express actions that will have been completed in the future, indicating an action that will be finished before another specified future time or event.
Yo | Habré vuelto |
Tú | Habrás vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Habrá vuelto |
Nosotros | Habremos vuelto |
Vosotros | Habréis vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrán vuelto |
Examples:
- Para cuando llegues, ya habré vuelto de mi viaje. (By the time you arrive, I will have returned from my trip.)
- Habremos vuelto antes de que empiece la película. (We will have returned before the movie starts.)
- ¿Habréis vuelto para la fiesta el fin de semana? (Will you all have returned for the party on the weekend?)
Conditional Perfect / Condicional Perfect
The conditional perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or speculative actions that would have been completed in the past, indicating an action that would have happened prior to another past event.
Yo | Habría vuelto |
Tú | Habrías vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Habría vuelto |
Nosotros | Habríamos vuelto |
Vosotros | Habríais vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Habrían vuelto |
Examples:
- Si no hubiera llovido, habríais vuelto antes de la cena. (If it hadn’t rained, you all would have returned before dinner.)
- Nos habríamos vuelto a casa, pero nos olvidamos las llaves. (We would have returned home, but we forgot the keys.)
- ¿Habrías vuelto si te hubieran llamado? (Would you have returned if they had called you?)
“Volver” Conjugation in Spanish Subjunctive / Subjuntivo
The subjunctive tense (el modo subjuntivo) is one of the three grammatical moods used to express different attitudes or purposes in speech. The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, emotion, and hypothetical situations.
Also for you: 1000 MOST COMMON SPANISH WORDS – FREQUENCY VOCABULARY
Present Tense / Presente
The Spanish subjunctive present tense is used to express subjective actions, desires, doubts, recommendations, or possibilities, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, necessity, or influence.
Yo | Vuelva |
Tú | Vuelvas |
Él/Ella/Usted | Vuelva |
Nosotros | Volvamos |
Vosotros | Volváis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Vuelvan |
Examples:
- Es importante que volvamos antes de la medianoche. (It’s important that we return before midnight.)
- Espero que ellos vuelvan a tiempo para la fiesta. (I hope that they return in time for the party.)
- Ojalá que vuelvas pronto de tu viaje. (I hope you return soon from your trip.)
Imperfect / Imperfecto
This tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past, often introduced by certain triggers such as expressions of doubt, uncertainty, or unreal conditions.
Yo | Volviera |
Tú | Volvieras |
Él/Ella/Usted | Volviera |
Nosotros | Volviéramos |
Vosotros | Volviereis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Volvieran |
Examples:
- Si volviera a la ciudad, te llamaría para vernos. (If I returned to the city, I would call you to meet up.)
- Si ellos volvieran, les mostraríamos el nuevo lugar. (If they returned, we would show them the new place.)
- Me sorprendería si volvieras tan pronto. (I would be surprised if you returned so soon.)
Present Perfect / Pretérito Perfecto
Spanish subjunctive present perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the present with a connection to the past, indicating actions that would have been completed prior to the present moment.
Yo | Haya vuelto |
Tú | Hayas vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Haya vuelto |
Nosotros | Hayamos vuelto |
Vosotros | Hayáis vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hayan vuelto |
Examples:
- Es posible que ya hayáis vuelto de vuestras vacaciones. (It’s possible that you all have already returned from your vacation.)
- Espero que haya vuelto antes de la reunión. (I hope that he has returned before the meeting.)
- Dudo que ellos hayan vuelto de su viaje a esta hora. (I doubt that they have returned from their trip by this time.)
Past Perfect / Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto
Spanish subjunctive past perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the past with a connection to a previous past event, indicating actions that would have been completed before that past event.
Yo | Hubiera vuelto |
Tú | Hubieras vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Hubiera vuelto |
Nosotros | Hubiéramos vuelto |
Vosotros | Hubierais vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hubieran vuelto |
Examples:
- Si hubiéramos vuelto más temprano, no habríamos perdido el tren. (If we had returned earlier, we wouldn’t have missed the train.)
- Me habría alegrado si él hubiera vuelto a tiempo. (I would have been happy if he had returned on time.)
- Si ustedes hubieran vuelto antes, habríamos podido ver la película juntos. (If you all had returned earlier, we could have watched the movie together.)
Future Perfect / Futuro Perfecto
The future perfect tense is used to express hypothetical or unreal actions, desires, doubts, or recommendations in the future with a connection to a future event, indicating actions that would have been completed before that future event.
Yo | Hubiere vuelto |
Tú | Hubieres vuelto |
Él/Ella/Usted | Hubiere vuelto |
Nosotros | Hubiéremos vuelto |
Vosotros | Hubiereis vuelto |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Hubieren vuelto |
Examples:
- Si hubieren vuelto para el fin de semana, podremos hacer planes. (If they will have returned by the weekend, we can make plans.)
- No sé si habréis vuelto a tiempo para la fiesta. (I don’t know if you all will have returned in time for the party.)
- Es posible que ya hubiere vuelto cuando llegues. (It’s possible that she will have returned by the time you arrive.)
“Volver” Conjugation in Spanish Imperative / Imperativo
The imperative tense (el modo imperativo) is one of the verb moods used to express commands, orders, or requests. It is used to tell someone what to do or what not to do.
Affirmative / Afirmativos
Spanish affirmative refers to the use of positive statements or expressions that indicate agreement, confirmation, or positive response to a question or statement.
Yo | – |
Tú | Vuelve |
Él/Ella/Usted | Vuelva |
Nosotros | Volvamos |
Vosotros | Volved |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | Vuelvan |
Examples:
- Vuelve pronto, te estoy esperando. (Return soon, I’m waiting for you.)
- Volved a la oficina antes de las cinco. (Return to the office before five.)
- Volvamos a casa, ya es tarde. (Let’s return home, it’s already late.)
Negative / Negativos
Spanish negative refers to the use of negative statements or expressions that indicate negation, denial, or disagreement with a question or statement.
Yo | – |
Tú | No vuelvas |
Él/Ella/Usted | No vuelva |
Nosotros | No volvamos |
Vosotros | No volváis |
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | No vuelvan |
Examples:
- No vuelvan tan tarde esta noche. (Don’t return so late tonight.)
- No vuelvas a olvidar las llaves. (Don’t forget the keys again.)
- No vuelva sin avisarme. (Don’t return without letting me know.)
Keep Practicing Your Spanish!
Good job! Now you know how to properly use the “Volver” conjugation in Spanish!
Learning the conjugation of “Volver” not only improves our ability to communicate effectively but also allows us to immerse ourselves more deeply in the rich and diverse Spanish-speaking cultures.
Are you interested in learning Spanish? Find a tutor and book a private class! Our expert staff will get in touch within 24 hours!