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A colorful storybook illustration showing two small silhouettes walking along a gentle path towards a distant, brightly lit, welcoming house, symbolizing a return.

vuelvan

bwel-bán

VerbA2irregular (o > ue stem change) er
return?as a wish or command (ustedes/ellos/ellas),come back?as a request to a group (ustedes/ellos/ellas)
Also:go back?when referring to physical location,turn over?when commanding a group to turn something (less common)

Quick Reference

infinitivevolver
gerundvolviendo
past Participlevuelto

📝 In Action

Espero que vuelvan para la cena.

A2

I hope they return for dinner.

¡Vuelvan a sus asientos inmediatamente!

B1

Return to your seats immediately!

El jefe pidió que vuelvan a revisar el informe.

B2

The boss asked them to review the report again.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • regresar (to return)
  • retornar (to go back)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • que vuelvan pronto – that they come back soon
  • vuelvan a intentarlo – try again (command)

💡 Grammar Points

Subjunctive vs. Indicative

You use 'vuelvan' (special form) when expressing doubt, desire, or emotion about their return: 'Dudo que vuelvan.' You use 'vuelven' (normal form) only for facts: 'Ellos vuelven hoy.'

Formal Command

'Vuelvan' is also the polite command form for addressing a group ('ustedes'): 'Vuelvan aquí, señores.' (Come back here, gentlemen.)

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing forms

Mistake: "No creo que ellos vuelven."

Correction: No creo que ellos vuelvan. (The doubt word 'creer' requires the special verb form 'vuelvan'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

The 'O to UE' Rule

Remember that the base verb 'volver' changes its 'o' to 'ue' in most present tense forms, including 'vuelvan.' Only 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' keep the 'o' (volvamos, volváis).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedvuelve
yovuelvo
túvuelves
ellos/ellas/ustedesvuelven
nosotrosvolvemos
vosotrosvolvéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedvolvía
yovolvía
túvolvías
ellos/ellas/ustedesvolvían
nosotrosvolvíamos
vosotrosvolvíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedvolvió
yovolví
túvolviste
ellos/ellas/ustedesvolvieron
nosotrosvolvimos
vosotrosvolvisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedvuelva
yovuelva
túvuelvas
ellos/ellas/ustedesvuelvan
nosotrosvolvamos
vosotrosvolváis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedvolviera
yovolviera
túvolvieras
ellos/ellas/ustedesvolvieran
nosotrosvolviéramos
vosotrosvolvierais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: vuelvan

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'vuelvan' to express a wish?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

volver(to return) - verb
vuelta(return/turn/lap) - noun
devuelto(returned (past participle)) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'vuelven' and 'vuelvan'?

'Vuelven' (with an 'e') is the regular form for facts: 'They return today.' 'Vuelvan' (with an 'a') is the special form used for commands ('Return!') or when expressing wishes, desires, or doubts: 'I hope they return.'

Can I use 'vuelvan' to talk about turning an object?

Yes, although it's less common than the meaning 'to return.' You can use it as a command: 'Vuelvan la página' (Turn the page), meaning 'You all turn the page.'