Learn Hardcore Italian: Posso accompagnare mia madre al supermercato se vuole comprare frutta fresca. - I can accompany my mother to the supermarket if she wants to buy fresh fruit.

“Posso” is the first person singular present form of “potere,” which means “can” or “am I allowed to.” In Italian, modal verbs like “potere” are always followed by the infinitive of the main verb—in this case, “accompagnare”—to express ability or permission.

How is the prepositional phrase “al supermercato” formed, and why is it written that way?

“Al supermercato” is a contraction formed from the preposition “a” (meaning “to”) and the definite article “il” (meaning “the”) because “supermercato” is a masculine noun. In Italian, it’s common and grammatically correct to contract “a” and “il” into “al.”

Why is “mia madre” used without a definite article in this sentence?

In Italian, when using possessive adjectives such as “mia” (my) with family members, it is common to omit the definite article. Thus, “mia madre” correctly means “my mother” without an extra article.

What does the clause “se vuole comprare frutta fresca” mean, and why is “vuole” conjugated in the present tense?

The clause “se vuole comprare frutta fresca” translates to “if she wants to buy fresh fruit.” Here, “vuole” is the third person singular present form of “volere” (to want). The present tense is used because it refers to a current or immediate desire, and Italian doesn’t require a different tense—even in a conditional clause introduced by “se” (if).

Why isn’t the subject of “vuole comprare frutta fresca” explicitly repeated?

Italian often omits the subject in a subordinate clause when it is clear from the context. In this sentence, it’s understood that “vuole” (wants) refers to “mia madre” mentioned earlier, so there’s no need to repeat the subject.

What is the overall meaning of the sentence “Posso accompagnare mia madre al supermercato se vuole comprare frutta fresca”?

The sentence means “May I accompany my mother to the supermarket if she wants to buy fresh fruit?” It’s a polite expression asking for permission or stating effectively that the speaker will accompany their mother under the condition that she is interested in buying fresh fruit.