Quick answer
Voltar sends the subject back. Devolver sends an object back to its owner.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
voltar
to return or go back
Use voltar for a person or thing moving back to a place or previous state.
devolver
to return or give back
Use devolver for giving an object, money, or responsibility back to its owner or source.
How to choose
- voltar: Choose voltar if the sentence points to a person or thing moving back to a place or previous state.
- devolver: Choose devolver if the sentence points to giving an object, money, or responsibility back to its owner or source.
Examples
Vou voltar para casa cedo.
I am going to return home early.
Preciso devolver o livro.
I need to return the book.
Common trap
For a library book, devolver is the clear verb. Voltar o livro is not the normal way to say “return the book.”
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with voltar, then once with devolver. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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