Quiero dedicarme a la música.

I want to devote myself to music.

Breakdown of Quiero dedicarme a la música.

• querer: to want
• la música: the music
• a: to
• dedicarse: to work as; devote oneself to

Questions & Answers about Quiero dedicarme a la música.

Why is it dedicarme and not just dedicar?

Because dedicarse a is a pronominal verb expression meaning to devote oneself to or to work in / pursue a field.

• dedicar by itself usually means to dedicate something to someone/something:
  • Dediqué el libro a mi madre = I dedicated the book to my mother.
• dedicarse a means to dedicate oneself to something:
  • Me quiero dedicar a la música = I want to devote myself to music.

In Quiero dedicarme a la música, the me refers back to the speaker: I want to dedicate myself to music.

Because me is attached to the infinitive dedicar, it becomes dedicarme.

Why is there an a after dedicarme?

Because the verb pattern is dedicarse a + noun / activity.

So:

• dedicarse a la música
• dedicarse a la enseñanza
• dedicarse a escribir

That a is required by the verb pattern. It is not the same as the English to in to dedicate oneself, even though it often feels similar in translation.

Why does it say la música instead of just ?