Breakdown of Voglio che tu nutra il cagnolino abbandonato.
tu
you (singular)
volere
to want
il cagnolino
the puppy
che
that (conjunction introducing a clause)
abbandonato
abandoned / stray
nutrire
to feed
Questions & Answers about Voglio che tu nutra il cagnolino abbandonato.
Why is the verb nutra instead of the normal present tense nutri?
The main verb voglio (I want) expresses a desire. When you state a desire or wish about what someone else does, you use che (that) followed by the subjunctive mood. Therefore, voglio che triggers the subjunctive form nutra.
Doesn't the tu form usually end in an -i? Why does it end in -a here?
In the regular present tense, yes, the tu form ends in -i (tu nutri). However, in the present subjunctive, regular -ere and -ire verbs like nutrire take an -a ending for all singular subjects (io, tu, and lui/lei).
Is it strictly necessary to include the pronoun tu in this sentence?
Yes, it is highly recommended here. Because the present subjunctive form nutra is identical for io, tu, and lui/lei, dropping the pronoun creates ambiguity. Without tu, saying voglio che nutra could mean I want him/her to feed the dog instead of you.
How do we get cagnolino from the usual word for dog, cane?
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