Breakdown of Io non voglio ferire il tuo cuore.
io
I
volere
to want
non
not
il tuo
your
ferire
to hurt
il cuore
the heart
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Questions & Answers about Io non voglio ferire il tuo cuore.
What does ferire mean in this sentence?
Ferire means “to hurt” or “to injure.” In this context, it specifically refers to causing emotional pain rather than physical harm.
Why is the subject pronoun Io included when Italian often drops it?
In Italian, the subject pronoun is often omitted because the verb conjugation (like voglio) already indicates who is performing the action. Io is added here for emphasis or clarity.
How is negation structured in this sentence?
Negation in Italian is indicated by placing non before the conjugated verb. In Io non voglio ferire il tuo cuore, non negates voglio, meaning “I do not want.”
Why is the definite article il used with the possessive tuo cuore?
In Italian, possessive adjectives are usually accompanied by a definite article when referring to body parts, family members, or possessions. Hence, il tuo cuore translates literally into “your heart,” with il signifying that cuore is masculine.
What is the conjugation of volere in this sentence, and why is it considered irregular?
Voglio is the first-person singular form of volere (to want). Volere is irregular because its conjugation does not follow the standard patterns, so forms like voglio need to be memorized separately.
Does the word order in Io non voglio ferire il tuo cuore differ much from its English counterpart?
Not really. The Italian sentence follows a subject–verb–infinitive–object structure (subject: Io, verb: voglio, negation: non, infinitive: ferire, object: il tuo cuore), which is quite similar to the English “I do not want to hurt your heart.”