верну́ться
vernútʹsjaperfective
The English phrase 'come back' is translated into Russian as верну́ться (vernútʹsja). Wiktionary also lists возвраща́ться (vozvraščátʹsja) and возврати́ться (vozvratítʹsja).
Meaning: (''intransitive'') To return to a place (verb)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| верну́ться | vernútʹsja | perfective |
| возвраща́ться | vozvraščátʹsja | imperfective |
| возврати́ться | vozvratítʹsja | perfective |
The verb means to return to a place.
Which one should you use?
Russian distinguishes between the ongoing process of returning and the completed act. The imperfective form возвраща́ться is used for 'I was returning' or 'I return every day'. The perfective form верну́ться is used for 'I have returned' or 'I will return'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperfective form возвраща́ться is used for ongoing processes, repeated actions or when the focus is on the act of returning rather than the completed result. The perfective form верну́ться is used for a single, completed action of returning.
How do you pronounce it?
vernútʹsja
Did you know?
- While English uses 'come back' or 'go back' depending on the speaker's location, Russian uses вернуться regardless of whether you are moving toward your current position or away from it.
- While верну́ться means 'to return', the root верт is shared with the word for 'spit' or 'rotate'. To return is conceptually seen as 'turning back' toward the origin.
- If someone says я верну́сь in a movie or book, it often functions as a solemn vow of loyalty or a promise of survival, carrying more emotional weight than the English 'I'll be back'.
Examples in context
- Вернитесь, пожалуйстаCome back, please
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come back” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
