Vuelvo a casa antes de almorzar.

I return home before having lunch.

Breakdown of Vuelvo a casa antes de almorzar.

• yo: I
• de: of
• a: to
• la casa: the house
• antes: before
• almorzar: to have lunch
• volver: to return

Questions & Answers about Vuelvo a casa antes de almorzar.

Why do we say a casa instead of la casa?

In Spanish, it's common to say ir a casa (to go home) or volver a casa (to return home) without using the article la. It’s an idiomatic expression that literally means "to (the) home," but Spanish speakers simply say a casa when referring to their own or someone’s home.

Why do we use antes de followed by an infinitive?

Antes de always indicates "before (doing something)" and is followed by an infinitive in Spanish. So when you say antes de almorzar, it literally means "before eating lunch." The grammar structure is antes de + infinitive.

Is vuelvo interchangeable with regreso?

Yes, vuelvo (from the verb volver) and regreso (from the verb regresar) can both mean "I return." In many contexts, volver and regresar are synonyms. However, certain regions or speakers may have a preference for one or the other, but the meaning is basically the same.

Does almorzar always mean "to have lunch" in every Spanish-speaking country?

In many Latin American countries, almorzar means "to have lunch." However, in some regions (like parts of Spain or certain rural areas of Latin America), almorzar can sometimes refer to a mid-morning meal or a snack. Generally, though, most Spanish speakers use almorzar to mean "to have lunch."