voló
/voh-LOH/
flew
Voló (flew) describes movement through the air.
voló(verb)
flew
?moved through the air
flew away
?left by flying
,took flight
?started flying
📝 In Action
El águila voló sobre la montaña.
A1The eagle flew over the mountain.
¿Viste cómo voló ese avión tan rápido?
A2Did you see how fast that plane flew?
Ella voló a Madrid el mes pasado.
A1She flew to Madrid last month.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying 'Voló'
'Voló' is the simple past (preterite) form. It means the action of flying started and finished at a specific point in the past. It refers to 'he,' 'she,' or 'you' (formal).
⭐ Usage Tips
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Use 'voló' (preterite) for a single, completed flight ('The bird flew away'). Use 'volaba' (imperfect) to describe flying happening over a period or as background ('The bird was flying when I arrived').
Voló (flew by) can describe time passing quickly.
voló(verb)
flew by
?time passing quickly
,sped
?moved quickly (vehicle/person)
rushed
?moved very fast
📝 In Action
El fin de semana voló; ya es lunes.
B1The weekend flew by; it's already Monday.
Mi amigo voló a la tienda para comprar leche.
B1My friend rushed/sped to the store to buy milk.
Voló (vanished) means to disappear suddenly.
voló(verb)
vanished
?disappeared suddenly
was stolen
?implied theft
,was blown up
?exploded (rare, but possible)
📝 In Action
Dejé la billetera en la mesa y voló.
B2I left the wallet on the table and it vanished/was stolen.
Todo el dinero que gané voló en dos días.
C1All the money I earned disappeared/was spent in two days.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Theft
When Spanish speakers say an object 'voló,' they usually mean it was stolen or disappeared so quickly it felt like it flew away. It’s a vivid way to describe a loss.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: voló
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'voló' in the figurative sense of 'disappeared/was stolen'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'volar' sometimes change its stem in the present tense (vuelo) but not in the past tense (voló)?
Spanish verbs often have 'boot' changes (like o to ue) only in the present tense, affecting the 'boot' forms (yo, tú, él/ella, ellos/ellas). The simple past tense (preterite), where 'voló' lives, usually follows more regular patterns and avoids these stem changes.
Is 'voló' the only way to say 'he flew'?
Yes, 'voló' is the standard simple past way to say 'he/she/it/you (formal) flew.' If the action was ongoing or habitual, you would use the imperfect form, 'volaba.'