volverse — Spanish conjugation

to turn around; to become

IrregularReflexivevolver → volverse

Indicative

Present (Presente) Irregular

The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.

Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English

PronounSpanish
yome vuelvo
te vuelves
voste volvés
él/ella/Ud.se vuelve
nosotrosnos volvemos
vosotrosos volvéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se vuelven

Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Regular

Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.

Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday

PronounSpanish
yome volví
te volviste
voste volviste
él/ella/Ud.se volvió
nosotrosnos volvimos
vosotrosos volvisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volvieron

Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular

Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.

Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia

PronounSpanish
yome volvía
te volvías
voste volvías
él/ella/Ud.se volvía
nosotrosnos volvíamos
vosotrosos volvíais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volvían

Conditional (Condicional) Regular

Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.

¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?

PronounSpanish
yome volvería
te volverías
voste volverías
él/ella/Ud.se volvería
nosotrosnos volveríamos
vosotrosos volveríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volverían

Future (Futuro) Regular

Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.

Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow

PronounSpanish
yome volveré
te volverás
voste volverás
él/ella/Ud.se volverá
nosotrosnos volveremos
vosotrosos volveréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volverán

Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular

A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.

Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss

PronounSpanish
yome he vuelto
te has vuelto
voste has vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se ha vuelto
nosotrosnos hemos vuelto
vosotrosos habéis vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se han vuelto

Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular

The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.

Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived

PronounSpanish
yome había vuelto
te habías vuelto
voste habías vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se había vuelto
nosotrosnos habíamos vuelto
vosotrosos habíais vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habían vuelto

Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular

Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.

Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me

PronounSpanish
yome habría vuelto
te habrías vuelto
voste habrías vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se habría vuelto
nosotrosnos habríamos vuelto
vosotrosos habríais vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrían vuelto

Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular

Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.

Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished

PronounSpanish
yome habré vuelto
te habrás vuelto
voste habrás vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se habrá vuelto
nosotrosnos habremos vuelto
vosotrosos habréis vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrán vuelto

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Irregular

Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.

Espero que hable — I hope she speaks

PronounSpanish
yome vuelva
te vuelvas
voste vuelvas
él/ella/Ud.se vuelva
nosotrosnos volvamos
vosotrosos volváis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se vuelvan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Regular

The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.

Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome volviera
te volvieras
voste volvieras
él/ella/Ud.se volviera
nosotrosnos volviéramos
vosotrosos volvierais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volvieran

Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular

The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.

Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome volviese
te volvieses
voste volvieses
él/ella/Ud.se volviese
nosotrosnos volviésemos
vosotrosos volvieseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se volviesen

Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.

Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived

PronounSpanish
yome haya vuelto
te hayas vuelto
voste hayas vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se haya vuelto
nosotrosnos hayamos vuelto
vosotrosos hayáis vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hayan vuelto

Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.

Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her

PronounSpanish
yome hubiera vuelto
te hubieras vuelto
voste hubieras vuelto
él/ella/Ud.se hubiera vuelto
nosotrosnos hubiéramos vuelto
vosotrosos hubierais vuelto
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hubieran vuelto

Other forms

Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Regular

Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.

Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you

PronounSpanish
yome estoy volviendo
te estás volviendo
voste estás volviendo
él/ella/Ud.se está volviendo
nosotrosnos estamos volviendo
vosotrosos estáis volviendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se están volviendo

Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.

Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon

PronounSpanish
yome estuve volviendo
te estuviste volviendo
voste estuviste volviendo
él/ella/Ud.se estuvo volviendo
nosotrosnos estuvimos volviendo
vosotrosos estuvisteis volviendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estuvieron volviendo

Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Regular

Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.

Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in

PronounSpanish
yome estaba volviendo
te estabas volviendo
voste estabas volviendo
él/ella/Ud.se estaba volviendo
nosotrosnos estábamos volviendo
vosotrosos estabais volviendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estaban volviendo

Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Regular

Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.

Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could

PronounSpanish
yome estaría volviendo
te estarías volviendo
voste estarías volviendo
él/ella/Ud.se estaría volviendo
nosotrosnos estaríamos volviendo
vosotrosos estaríais volviendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarían volviendo

Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.

Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling

PronounSpanish
yome estaré volviendo
te estarás volviendo
voste estarás volviendo
él/ella/Ud.se estará volviendo
nosotrosnos estaremos volviendo
vosotrosos estaréis volviendo
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarán volviendo