Quando voglio imparare qualcosa di nuovo, devo insistere e non mollare facilmente.

(When I want to learn something new, I have to insist and not give up easily.)

Breakdown of Quando voglio imparare qualcosa di nuovo, devo insistere e non mollare facilmente.

• di: of
• volere: to want
• e: and
• quando: when
• non: not
• nuovo: new
• imparare: to learn
• qualcosa: something
• dovere: to have to
• facilmente: easily
• insistere: to insist
• mollare: to give up

Questions & Answers about Quando voglio imparare qualcosa di nuovo, devo insistere e non mollare facilmente.

What does quando mean in this sentence, and what role does it play?

Quando translates to "when" in English. It introduces a temporal (or conditional) clause, indicating the time or situation—specifically, the condition under which the stated actions take place.

Why is imparare in the infinitive form, and how does it connect with voglio?

In Italian, when using a modal verb like voglio (which means "I want"), it is standard to follow it with an infinitive. Imparare is the infinitive form meaning "to learn," so voglio imparare combines to mean "I want to learn."

What do devo insistere and non mollare facilmente mean, and how do they relate to one another?

Devo is the first-person singular form of dovere (meaning "I must" or "I have to"), while insistere means "to insist" or "to persist." Together, devo insistere expresses the obligation to be persistent. The phrase non mollare facilmente means "not give up easily," where mollare, meaning "to give up," is negated and modified by facilmente ("easily"). Combined, the sentence emphasizes that when you want to learn something new, you need to persist and avoid giving up too quickly.

What is the function of the comma in this sentence?

The comma separates the introductory subordinate clause "Quando voglio imparare qualcosa di nuovo" from the main clause "devo insistere e non mollare facilmente." This punctuation helps clarify the sentence’s structure and indicates a natural pause between setting the condition and describing the required action.

Why is the subject pronoun omitted in both clauses?

In Italian, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb endings clearly indicate the subject. Both voglio and devo are conjugated in the first-person singular, so the meaning "I" is implicit. This omission is a common feature of Italian syntax, making the sentence more concise without losing clarity.