No quiero volver a engordar.

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Breakdown of No quiero volver a engordar.

• querer: to want
• no: not
• volver a engordar: to gain weight again

Questions & Answers about No quiero volver a engordar.

What exactly does volver a + infinitive mean here?

Volver a + infinitive usually means “to do something again”.

• volver on its own = to return, to go back
• volver a engordar = to get fat / gain weight again

So:

• No quiero volver a engordar.
  = I don’t want to get fat again / I don’t want to gain weight again.

This structure is very common:

• volver a intentarlo – to try again
• volver a llamar – to call again
• volver a verlo – to see him/it again

Why do we need the a after volver?

In this pattern, volver almost always takes a before another verb in the infinitive:

• volver a + [infinitive]

The a is a required preposition that links volver with the action that’s being repeated.

Correct:

• volver a comer – to eat again
• volver a estudiar – to study again
• volver a engordar – to get fat again

Incorrect:

• ✗ volver engordar (missing the a)

Could I say “No quiero engordar otra vez” instead? Is it the same?