Conjugation for "we will return"...

[jemenake]

So, I'm here in a little seaside Mexican town, and the street is lined with vendors of all kinds of chachki baubles that I'll never use when I get back to the states. I'm going to buy some of it, anyway, but I want to see what all there is to select from, and what range of prices. So, to each shop vendor who steers us into our store, I look at their offerings, and then say "regresaremos"... which, in my Spanish class, I was led to believe is the conjugation for "we will return".

However, every time I say this to anybody, they nod as if they were able to make a little sense of what I meant and they all say "Ah, si'... regresa".

Is there something I'm completely missing, here? Are they trying to give me (what *they* believe to be) the correct conjugation? Or, are they giving me the imperative response (like, they're saying "regresen", and I'm mis-hearing it)?

Did I learn some idealized, academic Spanish in my classes, and I'm running into some kind of truncated "street Spanish" or something?

[Rusty]

regresaremos = we will return (textbook answer)
Regresar can also mean 'give back' in some places.

The future tense is not the best tense to use in this situation, either. The meaning is "we're coming back, but not anytime soon."

Using 'vamos a regresar' or even 'regresamos' will communicate that you're coming back (sooner than the future tense conveys).

In case regresar is misunderstood in that seaside town, or just because it sounds better to me, I would use 'vamos a volver' or 'volvemos' (near future communicated by using the present tense).
If you totally think you're likely to return, add 'ya' before the verb. They'll be glad to hear that.

[ducviloxi]

how about "esperamos que regresemos pronto"... we hope that we may return soon = we hope to return soon

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Esperamos regresar pronto." :)

If your subject of both verbs is the same, then the subjunctive sounds clumsy and there is need for the infinitive.

(Nosotros) Esperamos que Juan regrese pronto. -> Since you have a different subject for both verbs, then you use the subjunctive.


However, in the context, this may not be understood as you will return to the store the same day. :thinking:


I think Rusty's option is a fine classroom solution. But if you want a Mexican to understand that you are talking about coming back the same day (or in a short while), the present tense would work better:

- Damos una vuelta y regresamos.
We'll take a look around and we'll come back.

- Al rato regresamos.
We'll come back in a moment.

And if you want to sound Mexican: "Ahorita regresamos." :D
(We'll come right back.)

[chileno]

I got it!

They look weird at you because they know you are not going to go back to them and tell them "I'm sorry, I bought that somewhere else..."

;)

Ah, regresa.... (right!)

:-D

[fusekisan]

There is nothing wrong in your "regresaremos", even if it's probably not what a native speaker would say. I would personally say: "ya volveremos". Of course, this "ya" can't be literally translated as "we'll come back already", but rather "we'll be back later on".
Another option to avoid the future tense can be "luego volvemos", or "volvemos más tarde".
But again, there is no mistake in your "regresaremos". Their answer "ah sí, regresa" is a bit odd: you used the plural form, so one would expect an "ah sí, regresen" (unless they just care to address you and not the rest of your buddies), and it just means "ok, I got you; do come back, please".
Glad to help.
Luis

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Fusekisan: The store owner may have been just getting it clear as in "ah, sí, dice que regresa".
And in Mexico "volver" is not so widely used as "regresar". :)

[fusekisan]

@Fusekisan: The store owner may have been just getting it clear as in "ah, sí, dice que regresa".
And in Mexico "volver" is not so widely used as "regresar". :)
Angélica: I agree that the alternative meaning of the owner's sentence that you suggest is also possible, and I know that "volver" is less used that "regresar", in México, but used nontheless, right? (I'm quite sure I have seen in it authors like C. Fuentes, E. Mendoza and Salvador Elizondo, at least).
Luis

Por cierto, una de las más célebres canciones mexicanas en el mundo se llama.... ¡Sí, bingo!: Volver, volver: "Y volver, volver, volver / a tus brazos otra vez/ Llegaré hasta donde estés, yo sé perder, yo sé perder, quiero volver, volver, volver".
(Mi homenaje al gran Vicente Fernández).
:)
Luis

[chileno]

... I look at their offerings, and then say "regresaremos"... which, in my Spanish class, I was led to believe is the conjugation for "we will return".

However, every time I say this to anybody, they nod as if they were able to make a little sense of what I meant and they all say "Ah, si'... regresa".

Is there something I'm completely missing, here? Are they trying to give me (what *they* believe to be) the correct conjugation? Or, are they giving me the imperative response (like, they're saying "regresen", and I'm mis-hearing it)?


There is nothing wrong in your "regresaremos", even if it's probably not what a native speaker would say. I would personally say: "ya volveremos". Of course, this "ya" can't be literally translated as "we'll come back already", but rather "we'll be back later on".
Another option to avoid the future tense can be "luego volvemos", or "volvemos más tarde".
But again, there is no mistake in your "regresaremos". Their answer "ah sí, regresa" is a bit odd: you used the plural form, so one would expect an "ah sí, regresen" (unless they just care to address you and not the rest of your buddies), and it just means "ok, I got you; do come back, please".
Glad to help.
Luis

I agree that OP is completely correct by saying "regresaremos" or as you suggest "volveremos"

It is the store owner's answer that is puzzling to the OP.

Ah, regresan! It isn't a matter that he could've said "Ah sí, regresen" o "ah sí, vuelven"

The fact is that the answer is kind of weird as if not believing they will in fact return.

See?

[Villa]

So, I'm here in a little seaside Mexican town, and the street is lined with vendors of all kinds of chachki baubles that I'll never use when I get back to the states. I'm going to buy some of it, anyway, but I want to see what all there is to select from, and what range of prices. So, to each shop vendor who steers us into our store, I look at their offerings, and then say "regresaremos"... which, in my Spanish class, I was led to believe is the conjugation for "we will return".

However, every time I say this to anybody, they nod as if they were able to make a little sense of what I meant and they all say "Ah, si'... regresa".

Is there something I'm completely missing, here? Are they trying to give me (what *they* believe to be) the correct conjugation? Or, are they giving me the imperative response (like, they're saying "regresen", and I'm mis-hearing it)?

Did I learn some idealized, academic Spanish in my classes, and I'm running into some kind of truncated "street Spanish" or something?

Ahorita vengo=I'll be right back

ah-oh-REE-tah

No, gracias. Sólo estoy mirando. Ahorita vengo.
No, thank you. I'm just looking. I'll be right back.