"Volendo si può fare, non è così impossibile."

Translation: If you want, it can be done, it is not that impossible.

[jgbachand]

Could someone parse this for me? I have no idea why it would be said this way in Italian, given the English translation.

[tikidog]

I'm also really confused, but I'll make an attempt, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Volendo = wanting = if you want [I really don't understand this part.]

si può fare = one can do = it can be done

non è così impossibile = [obvious]

[jgbachand]

Yes. I'm thinking part of my foundational confusion is that "volendo" = "wanting" does not contain the idea of "if" as far as I can see. "Wanting it to be possible,' "Wanting it to be so," in a more formal way, "Whatever can be desired can be accomplished, because nothing is impossible." The opposite sentiment of "If wishes were horses, then beggars would fly." But is this really what the Italian says?

[tikidog]

Regarding "volendo," see also this phrase from the same section:

http://www.duolingo.com/comment/437890

[dnovinc]

"If we want, it can be done, it is not so impossible" could this be correct?

EDIT: It is accepted now.

[betti18]

in what sense?

[dnovinc]

For instance: "If we want (to build a rocket), it can be done, it is not so impossible."

Actually my question should have been: Since "volendo" is not accompanied with an auxiliary verb (which is telling us the "person") , could it be translated as any of these: "If I/you/he/she/it/we/they want"?

[NicholasDo2]

What an odd phrase. I feel like "it is not that impossible" should be its own sentence.

[olegych76]

Could someone please get rid of this sentence? It is too complicated, silly and not logical.