voltei

Voltei is the first-person singular preterite indicative form of the Portuguese verb voltar, meaning “I returned” or “I came back.” It is used to state that the speaker has returned from a place or resumed a previous activity. The verb voltar denotes turning back or returning and is common in everyday speech across Portuguese-speaking communities.

Conjugation and usage notes: Eu voltei; você voltou; ele voltou; nós voltamos; vocês voltaram; eles voltaram. Voltar is a regular -ar verb in its past tense forms, with the typical endings applied to the stem volt-. The form voltei specifically marks a completed action in the past by the first person singular.

Usage examples and contexts: Voltei can function as a simple past statement, as in “Voltei ontem de viagem” (I returned yesterday from travel). It can also serve as an emphatic or exclamatory declaration, such as in “Voltei!” to announce a comeback. Beyond personal narration, voltei appears in media and literature as a concise way to signal a return, and the noun or verb form is often used in titles or slogans to convey the idea of coming back.

See also: voltar, preterite, Portuguese grammar.