Inklingo
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vuelan

/bweh-lahn/

they fly

A flock of colorful birds soaring through a clear blue sky.

Vuelan can mean 'they fly,' like birds moving through the air.

vuelan(verb)

A1irregular (stem-changing) ar

they fly

?

moving through the air

Also:

you all fly

?

used in Latin America or formal Spanish to address a group

📝 In Action

Las aves vuelan hacia el sur en invierno.

A1

The birds fly south in the winter.

Los aviones vuelan muy alto.

A1

The planes fly very high.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • planean (they glide)
  • surcan (they cross/soar through)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • vuelan bajo – they fly low
  • vuelan en círculos – they fly in circles

💡 Grammar Points

The 'O' to 'UE' Swap

The word 'vuelan' comes from 'volar.' Notice how the 'o' changes to 'ue' when you say 'they fly'—this happens in the present whenever the stress is on the middle of the word!

❌ Common Pitfalls

Vuelan vs. Vuelven

Mistake: "Using 'vuelven' to mean 'flying.'"

Correction: Say 'vuelan' to fly; 'vuelven' means they are returning or coming back.

⭐ Usage Tips

Who are you talking to?

In Latin America, use 'vuelan' for 'you all fly.' In Spain, 'vuelan' is only for 'they,' while 'voláis' is for 'you all.'

A child chasing a red balloon that is floating away quickly into the distance.

Vuelan is used to describe things that move quickly or disappear fast, like time.

vuelan(verb)

B1figurative use ar

it flies / they fly

?

referring to time passing quickly

,

to move very fast

?

objects or people racing

📝 In Action

Las horas vuelan cuando estoy contigo.

B1

The hours fly by when I am with you.

Esos coches vuelan en la autopista.

B1

Those cars race (fly) on the highway.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • corren (they run/race)
  • se pasan (they pass (time))

Antonyms

  • se arrastran (they drag/crawl)

Common Collocations

  • los años vuelan – years fly by

Idioms & Expressions

  • las palabras se las lleva el viento, pero las horas vuelan – time is precious and disappears quickly

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Speed

You can use 'vuelan' to describe anything that is impressively fast, even if it never leaves the ground!

A large pile of colorful building blocks scattered and flying outward as if from a central point.

Vuelan can also mean 'they blow up' or 'they blast apart' in an explosion.

vuelan(verb)

B2transitive ar

they blow up

?

exploding something or blasting it

📝 In Action

Los trabajadores vuelan la roca con dinamita.

B2

The workers blow up the rock with dynamite.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • explotan (they explode)
  • dinamitan (they dynamite)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • vuelan puentes – they blow up bridges

⭐ Usage Tips

Vuelan vs. Se vuelan

If something explodes on its own, we often use 'explotan.' Use 'vuelan' when someone is actively making something blow up.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesvolaran
yovolara
túvolaras
vosotrosvolarais
nosotrosvoláramos
él/ella/ustedvolara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesvuelen
yovuele
túvueles
vosotrosvoléis
nosotrosvolemos
él/ella/ustedvuele

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesvolaron
yovolé
túvolaste
vosotrosvolasteis
nosotrosvolamos
él/ella/ustedvoló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesvolaban
yovolaba
túvolabas
vosotrosvolabais
nosotrosvolábamos
él/ella/ustedvolaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesvuelan
yovuelo
túvuelas
vosotrosvoláis
nosotrosvolamos
él/ella/ustedvuela
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: vuelan

Question 1 of 2

Which of these is the correct way to say 'The years fly by'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

volar(to fly) - verb
vuelo(flight) - noun
volador(flying / flyer) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'vuelan' mean 'you fly'?

Only if you are talking to a group of people ('you all'). If you are talking to just one friend, you should say 'vuelas'.

Can I use 'vuelan' for a single bird?

No, 'vuelan' is only for multiple things (they/them). For one bird, use 'vuela'.