Learn Hardcore Italian: Voglio aiutare il mio amico.

In Italian, definite articles are generally used with possessive adjectives (like mio, tuo, etc.) before nouns. So we say il mio amico to mean my friend. However, there’s an exception for singular family members, where you usually omit the article (e.g., mio padre).

Why do we use aiutare (the infinitive) right after voglio?

In Italian, when one verb follows another verb expressing desire, necessity, or possibility (such as volere, dovere, or potere), the second verb must be in its infinitive form. Since voglio (I want) is a conjugation of volere, the next verb, aiutare, remains in the infinitive.

Why do we say voglio instead of voglia or something else?

Voglio is the first-person singular (io) present tense form of the verb volere. Other forms include vuoi (you want), vuole (he/she wants), vogliamo (we want), volete (you all want), and vogliono (they want). Voglia is a noun meaning "desire" or "wish" in certain contexts, so it’s not used here.

Is there a more polite way to say voglio?

Yes, you can use vorrei (the conditional form of volere) to be more polite or less direct. Vorrei aiutare il mio amico means I would like to help my friend, which sounds softer than voglio (I want).

Should there be any preposition after voglio before aiutare?

No, in standard Italian grammar, you don’t add a preposition between voglio and aiutare. You simply say voglio aiutare. Only for certain verbs that require a specific preposition would you see something like incominciare a fare (to begin to do). But with voglio, it’s followed directly by the infinitive.