volvía
“volvía” means “was returning” in Spanish (Continuous action in the past).
was returning, used to returnAlso: was turning, would go back
📝 In Action
Ella volvía a casa todos los días a las cinco.
A2She used to return home every day at five o'clock.
Yo siempre volvía al mismo café para estudiar.
A2I always used to go back to the same café to study.
El perro volvía la cabeza cuando lo llamabas.
B1The dog was turning its head when you called it.
Antes de la enfermedad, usted volvía a ser el de antes.
B2Before the illness, you (formal) were returning to be your old self.
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "volvía" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: volvía
Question 1 of 2
Which English phrase best captures the meaning of 'Yo volvía al trabajo en bicicleta'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The verb 'volver' comes from the Latin verb *volvere*, which meant 'to roll' or 'to turn.' This origin helps explain why 'volver' means both 'to return' (rolling back to the start) and 'to turn' (rolling over).
First recorded: Around the 10th or 11th century in Spanish, evolving from the Latin root.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'volvía' mean 'I was returning' or 'She was returning'?
It can mean both! 'Volvía' is the form for 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal). You must look at the context or the subject mentioned in the sentence to know who is doing the returning.
How is 'volvía' different from 'volvió'?
'Volvía' (imperfect tense) describes actions that were repeated or continuous in the past ('I used to return' or 'I was returning'). 'Volvió' (preterite tense) describes a single, finished action that happened at one point in the past ('I returned').