dar la vuelta
/ˌdaɾ la ˈbwelta/
The phrase to turn over in Spanish is dar la vuelta.
dar la vuelta is used to describe the action of flipping something over. For metaphorical situations, such as turning a situation around, you might also use darle la vuelta a or dar un giro.
Meaning: to flip over (verb)
Which one should you use?
While dar la vuelta can mean to flip something over, it is also the standard way to say 'to turn around' or to make a U-turn in a vehicle.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to specify the object being turned over, you must add the preposition a after the phrase, forming dar la vuelta a.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌdaɾ la ˈbwelta/
Did you know?
- The word vuelta in the phrase is a direct linguistic cousin to the English word 'vault', as both share a common root meaning to roll or turn.
- In some contexts, dar la vuelta can mean 'to go for a stroll' or 'to take a walk', as in dar una vuelta.
- The noun vuelta is used in Spanish to describe a 'lap' in a race or a 'round' in a game, extending the idea of turning back to the starting point.
Examples in context
- Por favor, dé la vuelta al documento para continuar la revisión.Please turn over the document to continue the review.
- Recuerde pasar página después de completar la lectura.Remember to turn over the page after finishing the reading.
- Oye, ¿puedes darle la vuelta a la hoja del cuaderno?Hey, can you turn over the page of the notebook?
- Asegúrate de voltear el panqueque cuando esté dorado.Make sure to flip the pancake when it's golden brown.
- Tienes que dar la vuelta a la carne.You have to flip the meat over.
- Voy a dar la vuelta al colchón.I am going to flip the mattress over.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are cooking lunch in the kitchen.
- María¿Puedes dar la vuelta a la hamburguesa, Mateo?Can you flip the burger over, Mateo?
- MateoSí, ya le voy a dar la vuelta.Yes, I'm going to flip it over now.
- MaríaTen cuidado de no quemarla.Be careful not to burn it.
- MateoNo te preocupes, María, todo está bien.Don't worry, María, everything is fine.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry dar la vuelta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dar, la, vuelta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
