volar
/boh-LAHR/
to fly
Volar means 'to fly' or move through the air.
volar(verb)
to fly
?moving through the air
,to travel by air
?taking a plane
📝 In Action
Quiero volar a Barcelona el próximo verano.
A1I want to fly to Barcelona next summer.
El pájaro vuela muy alto sobre las montañas.
A2The bird flies very high above the mountains.
¿Vuelas tú o prefieres el tren?
A1Do you fly or do you prefer the train?
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Boot' Conjugation
In the present tense, the 'e' in 'volar' changes to 'ue' for all forms except the 'nosotros' (we) and 'vosotros' (you plural/Spain) forms. This is called a stem change or 'boot' verb.
Subjunctive Change
The stem change (e > ue) also applies to the special verb forms used for wishes, doubts, and emotions (present subjunctive): Espero que vuele bien. (I hope it flies well.)
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Stem Change
Mistake: "Yo vola, Tú volas"
Correction: Yo vuelo, Tú vuelas. Always remember the 'ue' change in the present tense forms for 'I', 'you', 'he/she/it', and 'they'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using the Past Participle
The past participle 'volado' is used with the verb 'haber' to talk about completed actions: 'Hemos volado mucho este mes.' (We have flown a lot this month.)
Volar can also mean 'to rush' or move extremely fast.
volar(verb)
to rush
?to move extremely fast
,to fly by
?time passing quickly
to sell quickly
?items vanishing from the shelves
📝 In Action
El tiempo vuela en estas vacaciones.
B1Time flies on this vacation.
Las entradas para el concierto volaron en una hora.
B2The tickets for the concert sold out (flew) in an hour.
Ten cuidado, ese plato va a volar de la mesa.
B1Be careful, that plate is going to fly off the table (due to wind/speed).
💡 Grammar Points
Impersonal Subject
When referring to time passing, 'tiempo' (time) is the subject that is flying: 'El tiempo vuela'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Objects
You can use this meaning to exaggerate speed or the sudden loss of an object, like something being stolen or blown away.
Volar can mean 'to blow up' or destroy something by explosion.
volar(verb)
to blow up
?to destroy by explosion
,to explode
?to undergo rapid combustion
📝 In Action
La policía voló la puerta para entrar a la casa.
B2The police blew up the door to enter the house.
El edificio voló por una fuga de gas.
C1The building exploded due to a gas leak.
💡 Grammar Points
Transitive vs. Intransitive
'Volar' can be used to describe both causing an explosion (transitive: 'Ellos volaron la pared') and the resulting explosion itself (intransitive: 'La pared voló').
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: volar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'volar' in its literal meaning of movement through the air?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'volar' un verbo regular?
No, 'volar' es un verbo irregular. Es lo que llamamos un verbo de cambio de raíz o 'de bota'. La 'e' en la raíz cambia a 'ue' en casi todas las formas del presente (como 'vuelo' y 'vuelas'), excepto en 'nosotros' y 'vosotros'.
How do I say 'Time flies'?
You would use the standard Spanish structure: 'El tiempo vuela.' (Time flies). The verb form 'vuela' is the third person singular (él/ella/usted) form, agreeing with 'tiempo' (time).