Breakdown of Mi hermano quiere aprender a cocinar.
querer
to want
cocinar
to cook
aprender
to learn
mi
my
a
to
el hermano
the brother
Questions & Answers about Mi hermano quiere aprender a cocinar.
Why is quiere in the third-person singular form?
Because mi hermano (my brother) is a third-person singular subject in Spanish (equivalent to él). Therefore, the verb querer must be conjugated as quiere (he wants) rather than quiero (I want) or queremos (we want).
Why do we include a before the verb cocinar?
In Spanish, the verb aprender is generally followed by a when it’s followed by another verb in the infinitive. So you say aprender a cocinar (to learn how to cook). Omitting a (“aprender cocinar”) would be incorrect.
Is aprender a cocinar a common phrase?
Yes, aprender a [infinitive] is a very typical and natural construction in Spanish to mean “to learn how to [do something].” You’ll hear phrases like aprender a bailar, aprender a conducir, etc.
Can I drop mi if it’s clear from context that he is my brother?
Normally, you would keep mi to indicate that he’s your brother. If the context is clear, speakers might say just hermano quiere aprender a cocinar informally, but it’s more common and grammatically precise to keep mi to specify possession.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Spanish grammar?”
Spanish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SpanishMaster Spanish — from Mi hermano quiere aprender a cocinar to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions