Quiero volver a Lisboa algún día.

I

Breakdown of Quiero volver a Lisboa algún día.

• querer: to want
• el día: the day
• algún: some

Questions & Answers about Quiero volver a Lisboa algún día.

Why is it Quiero and not Yo quiero?

In Spanish, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• Quiero = I want
• The -o ending tells you it is yo

So Yo quiero volver a Lisboa algún día is also correct, but yo is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

For example:

• Quiero volver a Lisboa algún día. = neutral
• Yo quiero volver a Lisboa algún día. = adds emphasis, like I want to go back someday

Why is it volver a Lisboa? Why is the a needed?

The a is needed because volver often uses a before a destination when it means to go back / return to a place.

• volver a Lisboa = to return to Lisbon
• volver a casa = to go back home
• volver al trabajo = to go back to work

Without a, the sentence would sound incorrect here.

Important: this is not the personal a. It is just the preposition to used with a destination.

What exactly does volver mean here?