vuelve más tarde
/bwelbe mas taɾde/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'come back later' is expressed as vuelve más tarde.
This phrase is used as a request or instruction for someone to return to a place at a future time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative verb vuelve (come back/return) and the adverbial phrase más tarde (later).
Which one should you use?
Vuelve más tarde uses the informal tú form and is used with friends, children or people you know well. Vuelve después is another informal way to say 'come back later'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the informal phrase Pasa más tarde is used to mean 'drop by later' or 'come over later'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address more than one person, use the plural form vuelvan (which is formal/neutral) or volved (which is informal/Spain). To use the polite or formal usted form, change vuelve to vuelva.
Did you know?
- The adverb más is a linguistic relative of the English word 'master'. Both words trace their ancestry back to the Latin word magis, meaning 'more'.
- The word tarde can mean both 'late' and 'evening', so saying más tarde can sometimes sound like you are referring to a later time in the evening rather than just a later point in the day.
Examples in context
- Lo siento, no estoy disponible ahora. Vuelve más tarde.I'm sorry, I'm not available right now. Come back later.
- Vuelve más tarde, por favor.Come back later, please.
- No estoy listo, vuelve más tarde.I am not ready, come back later.
- La tienda está cerrada, vuelve más tarde.The shop is closed, come back later.
Example conversation
Alejandro is busy cleaning and María stops by to talk.
- AlejandroHola María, ¿qué tal?Hello María, how are you?
- MaríaBien, ¿puedes hablar ahora?Good, can you talk now?
- AlejandroLo siento, vuelve más tarde.I'm sorry, come back later.
- MaríaEstá bien, te veo luego.That's fine, see you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries más, tarde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
