"Vuole che tu mangi una mela."
Translation:She wants you to eat an apple.
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"She wants you to eat an apple." Eve, honey, put the apple back. Make a nice salad for dinner or something. Just trust me on this one.
"vuole <che> tu" = "wants <that> you", but you shouldn't translate literally into English. In English you will drop the <that>, therefore "wants you to"
Yes, I translated this sentence as "She wants that you eat the apple." But given the fact that it didn't sound right, I told myself it must translate as "She wants you to eat the apple." I seem to use intuition in translating a great deal of Italian sentences on this site. I hope that's okay in trying to learn this language (or any language). The trouble is given my bad memory, I may not do this when actually speaking Italian with someone (if I ever get to that point), and then, I'll believe that what I'm hearing makes no sense at all. I really want to learn Italian, but I'm in danger of throwing in the towel, as there seem to be so many inconsistencies with the language. Of course, I may feel this way because I'm not a native Italian speaker. Perhaps, there are no inconsistencies whatsoever. I am also tired of all the subtle differences in meaning; it's very difficult to keep them all straight. I really hope I don't quit. Thank God for all the people who weigh in on everything, and for everyone who seems to have the same questions as I do.
"Would like" is a different tense. Just like in English it is conditional ("vorrebbe") and not the present (wants, "vuole"). They have slightly different shades of meaning, like the difference in English between "would like" and "wants."
I'm not native English talker, but I think that this translation is correct: "He wants that you eat an apple", but the system says that it is not correct. Who is right, me or Duo?
Caler,
I'm not sure if your translation could be technically correct, but as a native English speaker, it sounds weird to me. No one would actually say it that way. Instead we would say "He wants you to eat an apple".
That is true, but as a speaker of foreign languages, we have to recognize that Italian, as well as other languages, are easier to learn if we think in their syntax. "He wants you to eat an apple" is literally "Ti vuole mangiare una mela" but that doesn't translate well. If "He wants that you eat an apple" sounds like old-english, then Italian will be easier to learn if you think in old-english.
It gives the sentence a subjunctive mood, expressing a desire. So you are quite right.
"He wants that you eat an apple" is correct, but sounds like something I'd read in 18th or 19th century dialogue.
Caiser. Your logic is correct. In fact, although it is not how we would say it the uk, it is an excellent way of getting the Italian correct. He wants that, will bring you nicely to the subjunctive, as that is subjunctive also in English
why can't you say: i want you to eat an apple insted of: it wants you to eat an apple? it is very srange. don't you think so?
Vuole also means "he/she wants" not just "it wants." Vuole che tu mangi una mela: He/she wants that you eat an apple.
Diane, It does of course I have no idea to whom I made this reply It clearly makes no sense here. Sometimes replies get put in the wrong place. Sorry for the confusion
Is it possible to translate this to '(lui) vuole ti mangiare una mela', or something similar - i.e. using the infinitive?
No, you only use the infinitive if it's the same subject wanting to do the action. "Voglio mangiare una mela" - I want to eat the apple. If it's one subject wanting another subject to do the action, you have to use che, and "mangi" here is actually the subjunctive form of the verb mangiare. Vuole che tu mangi una mela. He wants (one subject) that you (other subject) eat an apple.
Modern English doesn't make it clear that it's one subject wanting another subject to do something (He wants you to eat the apple), so it's understandable why one would naturally want to use the infinitive.
Ah, thank you! That's very helpful. Would it then be incorrect in Italian to use che in the first person, like 'voglio che mangio una mela'?
Yeah, idk if that could technically be correct, but it sounds really weird to me. You would definitely say "voglio mangiare una mela" (I want to eat an apple).
Hi, just to say, it does get easier. i used to get so frustrated because i was trying to translate sentences word for word while thinking...but it doesnt make sense and i wouldnt say it like that in English. This sentence sounds weird at first but soon, it will just sound natural. It is a new language. Not weird, just different. It cant be translated, word for word. It doesnt matter what we would say in English. We are learning italian :)
How can you determine if it is "he or she?" I understand vuole is for lui/lei, but in a real life situation without lui or lei would this make sense?
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It would be obvious in context: this is the farmer/ farmer's wife. He / she wants you to eat an apple
Such an expression in French would call for the subjunctive tense. Is this not the case for Italian?
Indeed it does. This is the subjunctive, which happens to be the same as the second person singular indicative
Technically correct but not good English as we no longer commonly use the subjunctive
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Vuole could easily be translated as "He wants" too. Then why am I marked wrong? There's no gender specificity in the sentence.
not sure I understand why this has to be 'she' wants and 'he' wants is incorrect