A volte scelgo un libro a caso in libreria e poi lo leggo in giardino.

Sometimes I choose a book at random in the bookstore and then read it in the garden.

Breakdown of A volte scelgo un libro a caso in libreria e poi lo leggo in giardino.

• io: I
• il libro: the book
• in: in
• il giardino: the garden

Questions & Answers about A volte scelgo un libro a caso in libreria e poi lo leggo in giardino.

Why does the sentence start with A volte? Does it just mean sometimes?

Yes. A volte means sometimes or at times.

• a = at
• volte = times

So literally it is something like at times, but in natural English we usually translate it as sometimes.

Examples:

• A volte cucino. = Sometimes I cook.
• A volte piove. = Sometimes it rains.

Why is there no io before scelgo?

Italian often drops subject pronouns when they are not needed. The verb ending already shows who is doing the action.

• scelgo = I choose
• scegli = you choose
• sceglie = he/she chooses

Because scelgo already means I choose, adding io is optional. You would usually only include io for emphasis or contrast.

For example:

• Scelgo un libro. = I choose a book.
• Io scelgo un libro, tu scegli una rivista. = I choose a book, you choose a magazine.

Why is it scelgo and not something more regular like sceglio?