Regresar Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb regresar means to return, to come back, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Regresar means to return or to come back, and it is used for coming back home, returning to work after a holiday and returning a book to the library. It is a slightly more formal synonym of volver, and it is a fully regular -ar verb. Like every Spanish verb, regresar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say regreso a casa después del trabajo, and in the preterite you say regresé al pueblo de mis abuelos. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: regresar
  • English: to return, to come back
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: regresando
  • Past participle: regresado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + regresado)

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for regresar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Regresar is fully regular: regresé, regresaba, regresaré. Volver is more common in speech, but regresar is never wrong.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for regresar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Form
yo regreso
tú regresas
él/ella/Ud. regresa
nosotros/as regresamos
vosotros/as regresáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresan

Preterite

Person Form
yo regresé
tú regresaste
él/ella/Ud. regresó
nosotros/as regresamos
vosotros/as regresasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresaron

Imperfect

Person Form
yo regresaba
tú regresabas
él/ella/Ud. regresaba
nosotros/as regresábamos
vosotros/as regresabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresaban

Future

Person Form
yo regresaré
tú regresarás
él/ella/Ud. regresará
nosotros/as regresaremos
vosotros/as regresaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresarán

Conditional

Person Form
yo regresaría
tú regresarías
él/ella/Ud. regresaría
nosotros/as regresaríamos
vosotros/as regresaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresarían

Present perfect

Person Form
yo he regresado
tú has regresado
él/ella/Ud. ha regresado
nosotros/as hemos regresado
vosotros/as habéis regresado
ellos/ellas/Uds. han regresado

Pluperfect

Person Form
yo había regresado
tú habías regresado
él/ella/Ud. había regresado
nosotros/as habíamos regresado
vosotros/as habíais regresado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habían regresado

Future perfect

Person Form
yo habré regresado
tú habrás regresado
él/ella/Ud. habrá regresado
nosotros/as habremos regresado
vosotros/as habréis regresado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrán regresado

Conditional perfect

Person Form
yo habría regresado
tú habrías regresado
él/ella/Ud. habría regresado
nosotros/as habríamos regresado
vosotros/as habríais regresado
ellos/ellas/Uds. habrían regresado

Present subjunctive

Person Form
yo regrese
tú regreses
él/ella/Ud. regrese
nosotros/as regresemos
vosotros/as regreséis
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresen

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Form
yo regresara
tú regresaras
él/ella/Ud. regresara
nosotros/as regresáramos
vosotros/as regresarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresaran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Form
tú regresa
él/ella/Ud. regrese
nosotros/as regresemos
vosotros/as regresad
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresen

Imperative (negative)

Person Form
tú regreses
él/ella/Ud. regrese
nosotros/as regresemos
vosotros/as regreséis
ellos/ellas/Uds. regresen

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund regresando with estar for the progressive: estoy regresando
Past participle regresado with haber for the perfect tenses: he regresado

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Regreso a casa después del trabajo. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, regresé de las vacaciones el lunes. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, regresaba al pueblo de mis abuelos. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, regresaré temprano por la noche. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Regresaría a casa después del trabajo si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he regresado de las vacaciones el lunes. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había regresado al pueblo de mis abuelos antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré regresado temprano por la noche. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría regresado a casa después del trabajo con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él regrese de las vacaciones el lunes. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él regresara al pueblo de mis abuelos, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Regresa temprano por la noche! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For regresar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No regreses a casa después del trabajo. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with regresar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Regreso a casa después del trabajo. — I return home after work.
  2. Regresa de las vacaciones el lunes. — He/she returns from holiday on Monday.
  3. Ayer, regresé al pueblo de mis abuelos. — Yesterday, I returned to my grandparents' village.
  4. Antes, nosotros regresábamos temprano por la noche. — Before, we used to return early in the evening.
  5. Mañana, tú regresarás a casa después del trabajo. — Tomorrow, you will return home after work.
  6. Yo regresaría de las vacaciones el lunes si tuviera más tiempo. — I would return from holiday on Monday if I had more time.
  7. Él ha regresado al pueblo de mis abuelos. — He has returned to my grandparents' village.
  8. Espero que él regrese temprano por la noche. — I hope he returns early in the evening.
  9. Yo ya había regresado a casa después del trabajo antes de salir. — I had already returned home after work before leaving.
  10. Ellos regresaban de las vacaciones el lunes cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to return from holiday on Monday when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo regresa a casa después del trabajo. — Right: Yo regreso a casa después del trabajo. — The person matters: regresa is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is regreso. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
  2. Wrong: Vosotros regresais de las vacaciones el lunes. — Right: Vosotros regresáis de las vacaciones el lunes. — The vosotros present form carries a written accent: regresáis, not regresais. The accent marks the stressed vowel.
  3. Wrong: Treating regresar and volver as identical in every context. — Right: Regresar means to return, to come back, while volver means to return, the more common synonym. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: regresar fits sentences such as Regreso a casa después del trabajo, while volver belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy regresado de las vacaciones el lunes. — Right: Yo he regresado de las vacaciones el lunes. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he regresado, has regresado, ha regresado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo regresé al pueblo de mis abuelos todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo regresaba al pueblo de mis abuelos todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (regresaba), not the preterite. The preterite (regresé) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on regresar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a casa después del trabajo. (present tense) A. regreso B. regresas C. regresa D. regresamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ de las vacaciones el lunes. (preterite) A. regresé B. regresaste C. regresaron D. regresó

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ al pueblo de mis abuelos. (imperfect) A. regresabas B. regresaban C. regresábamos D. regresaba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ temprano por la noche. (future) A. regresaremos B. regresarás C. regresaré D. regresará

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ a casa después del trabajo si pudiera. (conditional) A. regresaría B. regresarías C. regresarían D. regreso

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de las vacaciones el lunes. (present subjunctive) A. regreses B. regresemos C. regreso D. regrese

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ al pueblo de mis abuelos, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. regresáramos B. regreso C. regresara D. regresaras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ temprano por la noche. (present perfect) A. han regresado B. hemos regresado C. he regresado D. has regresado

  9. Complete the command: ¡___ a casa después del trabajo! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. regresa B. regrese C. regresemos D. regresad

  10. Which is the gerund of regresar, used with estar for the progressive? A. regresado B. regreso C. regresé D. regresando

Answer key

  1. regreso — The first-person present of regresar is regreso. The other options are the tú, él/ella and nosotros forms.
  2. regresó — The third-person preterite of regresar is regresó, the form for a single finished action in the past.
  3. regresábamos — The nosotros imperfect of regresar is regresábamos, used here for a repeated past habit.
  4. regresarás — The second-person future of regresar is regresarás.
  5. regresaría — The first-person conditional of regresar is regresaría, the form for what would happen.
  6. regrese — After espero que, the subjunctive is required: the third-person present subjunctive of regresar is regrese.
  7. regresara — The first-person imperfect subjunctive (-ra) of regresar is regresara.
  8. hemos regresado — The nosotros present perfect of regresar is hemos regresado: hemos + regresado.
  9. regresa — The affirmative tú imperative of regresar is regresa.
  10. regresando — The gerund of regresar is regresando: estoy regresando. The participle regresado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does regresar mean in English?

Regresar means to return, to come back. It is used in everyday situations such as Regreso a casa después del trabajo. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is regresar regular or irregular?

Regresar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including regreso in the present and regresé in the preterite.

What is the difference between regresar and volver?

Regresar means to return, to come back, while volver means to return, the more common synonym. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use regresar when you mean to return, to come back, as in Regreso a casa después del trabajo, and use volver for to return, the more common synonym. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I return” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo regresé de las vacaciones el lunes. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo regresaba al pueblo de mis abuelos. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he regresado de las vacaciones el lunes.

How do I practise regresar?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the regresar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

Related links