Voltar Conjugation in Portuguese
voltar means “to return” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 64 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to return and to come back, and it is completely regular. It is the verb for going back to a place you have already been, and for returning home at the end of the day. This page gives you the complete conjugation of voltar — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.” — “I return home.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: voltar
- English: to return
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: voltando
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: voltado
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ar verbs; pattern ar in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for voltar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read voltar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about voltar
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ar pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle voltado. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is voltando and the past participle is voltado: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for voltar. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | volto |
| tu | voltas |
| ele/ela | volta |
| nós | voltamos |
| vós | voltais |
| eles/elas | voltam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.” — “I return home”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltei |
| tu | voltaste |
| ele/ela | voltou |
| nós | voltámos |
| vós | voltastes |
| eles/elas | voltaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu voltei a casa ontem.” — “I returned home”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltava |
| tu | voltavas |
| ele/ela | voltava |
| nós | voltávamos |
| vós | voltáveis |
| eles/elas | voltavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu voltava a casa antigamente.” — “I used to return home”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltara |
| tu | voltaras |
| ele/ela | voltara |
| nós | voltáramos |
| vós | voltáreis |
| eles/elas | voltaram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu voltara a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had returned home”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltarei |
| tu | voltarás |
| ele/ela | voltará |
| nós | voltaremos |
| vós | voltareis |
| eles/elas | voltarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu voltarei a casa amanhã.” — “I will return home”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltaria |
| tu | voltarias |
| ele/ela | voltaria |
| nós | voltaríamos |
| vós | voltaríeis |
| eles/elas | voltariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu voltaria a casa um dia.” — “I would return home”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho voltado |
| tu | tens voltado |
| ele/ela | tem voltado |
| nós | temos voltado |
| vós | tendes voltado |
| eles/elas | têm voltado |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem voltado a casa esta semana.” — “He has returned home”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha voltado |
| tu | tinhas voltado |
| ele/ela | tinha voltado |
| nós | tínhamos voltado |
| vós | tínheis voltado |
| eles/elas | tinham voltado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha voltado a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had returned home”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei voltado |
| tu | terás voltado |
| ele/ela | terá voltado |
| nós | teremos voltado |
| vós | tereis voltado |
| eles/elas | terão voltado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei voltado a casa até amanhã.” — “I will have returned home”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria voltado |
| tu | terias voltado |
| ele/ela | teria voltado |
| nós | teríamos voltado |
| vós | teríeis voltado |
| eles/elas | teriam voltado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria voltado a casa ontem.” — “I would have returned home”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | volte |
| tu | voltes |
| ele/ela | volte |
| nós | voltemos |
| vós | volteis |
| eles/elas | voltem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu volte a casa.” — “It is important that I return home”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltasse |
| tu | voltasses |
| ele/ela | voltasse |
| nós | voltássemos |
| vós | voltásseis |
| eles/elas | voltassem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu voltasse a casa.” — “It was important that I return home”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | voltar |
| tu | voltares |
| ele/ela | voltar |
| nós | voltarmos |
| vós | voltardes |
| eles/elas | voltarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu voltar a casa, é bom.” — “If I return home, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | volta |
| ele/ela | volte |
| nós | voltemos |
| vós | voltai |
| eles/elas | voltem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Volta a casa!” — “Return home!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não voltes |
| ele/ela | não volte |
| nós | não voltemos |
| vós | não volteis |
| eles/elas | não voltem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não voltes a casa.” — “Do not return home.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha voltado |
| tu | tenhas voltado |
| ele/ela | tenha voltado |
| nós | tenhamos voltado |
| vós | tenhais voltado |
| eles/elas | tenham voltado |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha voltado a casa.” — “It is important that I have returned home”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse voltado |
| tu | tivesses voltado |
| ele/ela | tivesse voltado |
| nós | tivéssemos voltado |
| vós | tivésseis voltado |
| eles/elas | tivessem voltado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse voltado a casa.” — “It was important that I had returned home”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver voltado |
| tu | tiveres voltado |
| ele/ela | tiver voltado |
| nós | tivermos voltado |
| vós | tiverdes voltado |
| eles/elas | tiverem voltado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver voltado a casa, é bom.” — “If I have returned home, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | voltando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Voltando a casa, aprendo muito.” — “While returning home, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | voltado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho voltado a casa esta semana.” — “I have returned home.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with voltar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.” — “I return home”
- “Tu voltaste a casa ontem.” — “You returned home”
- “Ele voltava a casa antigamente.” — “He used to return home”
- “Eu voltarei a casa amanhã.” — “I will return home”
- “Tu voltarias a casa um dia.” — “You would return home”
- “Ele tem voltado a casa esta semana.” — “He has returned home”
- “Eu tinha voltado a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had returned home”
- “Tu terás voltado a casa até amanhã.” — “You will have returned home”
- “É importante que eu volte a casa.” — “It is important that I return home”
- “Volta a casa!” — “Return home!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu voltar a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.”
The infinitive voltar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form volto.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu voltas a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.”
voltas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with volto.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu volto a casa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu voltei a casa ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito voltei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou voltado a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho voltado a casa esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of voltar is formed with ter plus the past participle voltado: the eu form is tenho voltado. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu volto a casa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu volte a casa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use volte here, not the indicative volto.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho voltando a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho voltado a casa esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle voltado, not the gerund voltando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on voltar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of voltar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) voltas
- B) volto
- C) volta
- D) voltamos
What is the ele/ela form of voltar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) voltei
- B) voltaste
- C) voltou
- D) voltámos
What is the nós form of voltar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) voltava
- B) voltavas
- C) voltáveis
- D) voltávamos
What is the tu form of voltar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) voltarás
- B) voltarei
- C) voltará
- D) voltaremos
What is the eu form of voltar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) voltarias
- B) voltaria
- C) voltaríamos
- D) voltaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of voltar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho voltado
- B) tens voltado
- C) tem voltado
- D) temos voltado
What is the ele/ela form of voltar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) voltes
- B) voltemos
- C) volteis
- D) volte
What is the eu form of voltar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) voltasse
- B) voltasses
- C) voltássemos
- D) voltásseis
What is the gerund of voltar?
- A) voltado
- B) voltando
- C) voltar
- D) volto
What does voltar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to return
- D) —
Answer key
- B) volto — the correct form is volto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) voltou — the correct form is voltou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) voltávamos — the correct form is voltávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) voltarás — the correct form is voltarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) voltaria — the correct form is voltaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem voltado — the correct form is tem voltado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) volte — the correct form is volte. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) voltasse — the correct form is voltasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) voltando — the correct form is voltando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to return — the correct form is to return. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does voltar mean in English?
voltar means “to return”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is voltar regular or irregular?
voltar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is voltando and the past participle is voltado.
What are the gerund and past participle of voltar?
The gerund is voltando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is voltado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho voltado.
Which auxiliary does voltar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
voltar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho voltado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle voltado.
How do I say “I return” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu volto a casa todos os dias.” — “I return home” The eu form of the present is volto, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of voltar — every tense of voltar in one place.
- Voltar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Voltar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Portuguese.
- Estar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Dar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise voltar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise voltar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise voltar with the interactive tool.