Breakdown of Voglio nuotare nel lago oggi.
io
I
volere
to want
oggi
today
nuotare
to swim
il lago
the lake
nel
in
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Questions & Answers about Voglio nuotare nel lago oggi.
Why is it "Voglio nuotare" and not "Voglio di nuotare"?
In Italian, when certain modal or auxiliary-like verbs such as volere (to want), potere (to be able to), and dovere (to have to) come directly before another verb, the second verb must be in its infinitive form without di. Hence, we say Voglio nuotare instead of Voglio di nuotare.
Why do we say "nel lago" instead of "nel il lago"?
Nel is a contracted form of in + il, so nel lago literally means "in the lake". Italian contracts the preposition in with il into nel. You don’t say nel il lago because that would be repeating the article twice.
Can "oggi" be placed at the beginning of the sentence instead of the end?
Yes. In Italian, expressions of time like oggi (today) can usually be placed at the beginning or end of the sentence (or sometimes even in the middle), without changing the fundamental meaning. For instance, Oggi voglio nuotare nel lago is also correct.
What is the difference between "nel lago" and "al lago"?
• Nel lago emphasizes being in the water itself—actually swimming in the lake.
• Al lago focuses more on the location (at the lake), and doesn’t necessarily imply being in the water.
Is "nuotare" always in the infinitive when used after "voglio"?
Yes. In Italian, when you follow voglio (from the verb volere) with another verb, that second verb must remain in the infinitive form. So we say Voglio nuotare, Voglio andare, Voglio dormire, etc.