Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you can express the concept of flying by using viajar en avión. In Spain, the term despegar is sometimes used specifically to mean 'to take off' in the context of an airplane.
How does it change in a sentence?
volar is an o-to-ue stem-changing verb in most present tense forms, such as vueles. The third-person singular present tense is vuela, and the third-person plural present tense is vuelan. In the preterite past tense, the third-person singular form is voló. The noun form for a flight is vuelo. The infinitive form volar is used after other verbs, such as in the phrase querer volar (to want to fly).
How do you pronounce it?
/boˈlaɾ/
When do people say it?
For a more poetic effect, you can use the expression Surcar los cielos, which means 'to soar through the skies'.
Did you know?
- The Spanish word volar can also mean 'to blow up' or 'to explode'. For example, a bomb is said to volar a building.
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, if you say a person is volando, it might not mean they are in an airplane, but rather that they are 'tripping' or acting irrationally.
- The Spanish verb volar shares the same Latin root as the English word 'volatile', which describes something that is easily moved or can even take flight.
Examples in context
- Él es capaz de volar.He is able to fly.This sentence shows the use of volar to express ability.Tatoeba #4552951 by DarkHollow, translation #4550890 by Whidou
- Quiero volar a la Luna.I want to fly to the moon.This sentence shows volar used to express a desire to fly to a destination.Tatoeba #1256141 by marcelostockle, translation #3133252 by Serhiy
- ¿Estás listo para volar?Are you ready to fly?This sentence shows volar used to ask about readiness.Tatoeba #4644329 by Shishir, translation #1216885 by CM
- Los pájaros vuelan por el cieloThe birds fly through the sky
- El águila surca los cielos con gracia y majestuosidadThe eagle soars through the skies with grace and majesty
- Quiero aprender a pilotear un avión algún día.I want to learn how to fly an airplane someday.
- ¡Mira! Los globos aerostáticos están volando sobre la ciudad.Look! The hot air balloons are flying over the city.
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are watching birds in a park.
- Alejandro¿Viste cómo ese pájaro puede volar tan rápido?Did you see how that bird can fly so fast?
- MaríaSí, es hermoso ver al animal volar así.Yes, it is beautiful to see the animal fly like that.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿crees que los pájaros disfrutan volar?María, do you think birds enjoy flying?
- MaríaSeguro que sí, Alejandro.I am sure they do, Alejandro.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry volar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries volar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
