Non voglio deludere i miei genitori, quindi cerco sempre di fare del mio meglio.

(I don’t want to disappoint my parents, so I always try to do my best.)

Breakdown of Non voglio deludere i miei genitori, quindi cerco sempre di fare del mio meglio.

• io: I
• volere: to want
• non: not
• il mio: my
• sempre: always
• quindi: so
• fare: to do
• di: to
• cercare: to try
• deludere: to disappoint
• il genitore: the parent
• il meglio: the best

Questions & Answers about Non voglio deludere i miei genitori, quindi cerco sempre di fare del mio meglio.

Why is the negative marker non placed before voglio in this sentence?

In Italian, to form a negative sentence you place non directly before the verb. Here, non voglio clearly means “I do not want,” following the standard rule of negation in Italian.

What role does quindi play in the sentence?

Quindi acts as a conjunction that means “so” or “therefore.” It joins the two clauses by showing that the action in the second clause is a consequence of the sentiment expressed in the first clause—that not wanting to disappoint one’s parents motivates the speaker to always try their best.

Why do we use the construction cerco sempre di fare instead of, for example, just cerco fare?

In Italian, when expressing the idea of “trying to do” something, the verb cercare is followed by the preposition di and then an infinitive. The phrase cerco sempre di fare correctly translates to “I always try to do,” with di fare being the necessary infinitive form that follows cercare.

What is the significance of i miei genitori and how does it function grammatically?

The phrase i miei genitori means “my parents.” The possessive adjective miei agrees in number (plural) and gender (masculine) with genitori. Additionally, Italian often uses a definite article with possessives referring to family members, hence the inclusion of i before miei genitori.

What does del mio meglio literally translate to, and how is it used idiomatically?

Literally, del mio meglio translates as “of my best.” Idiomatically, however, it conveys the meaning “my best” or “all I can do.” It’s a common Italian expression to indicate putting forth the maximum effort, similar in intent to the English phrase “to do one’s best.”

Which tenses are used for voglio and cerco in the sentence, and what does this indicate about the speaker's attitude?

Both voglio (from volere) and cerco (from cercare) are in the present indicative tense. This use of the present tense signifies a current state or habitual action. It tells us that not wanting to disappoint one’s parents and continually trying to do the best are ongoing, active intentions of the speaker.

Could the sentence be expressed in a more formal manner? If so, how?

Yes, the sentence can be adapted for a more formal tone. For example, you might say:
"Non desidero deludere i miei genitori, pertanto mi sforzo sempre di dare il massimo."
In this version, desidero replaces voglio, pertanto replaces quindi, and mi sforzo is used instead of cerco, all of which lend a more formal nuance while conveying the same overall meaning.