Voglio che il gatto guarisca con questa cura.

Questions & Answers about Voglio che il gatto guarisca con questa cura.

Why can't I just translate "want the cat to recover" literally as voglio il gatto guarire?
In English, we use an infinitive ("to recover") after "want" even when someone else is doing the action. In Italian, if the subjects are different ("I" want vs. "the cat" recovers), you cannot use the infinitive. You must use che (that) followed by a conjugated verb.
Why is the verb guarisca and not the normal present tense guarisce?
The phrase voglio che expresses a strong desire or will. Verbs of volition (like wanting, wishing, or demanding) trigger the subjunctive mood in the following clause. Therefore, we use the subjunctive form guarisca.
I notice guarisca has an "isc" in it. Does the subjunctive keep the -isc- pattern from the regular present tense?
Yes! Guarire (to heal/recover) is an -isc- verb, just like capire (to understand). In the present subjunctive, the -isc- pattern appears in all singular forms (I, you, he/she/it) and the "they" form. Since the subject is il gatto (it), it takes the -isc- stem plus the subjunctive -ire ending -a.
Does cura mean "cure" or "treatment" here?
It usually translates to "treatment" or "course of medication" in contexts like this. While it can mean a permanent "cure," Italians use cura very broadly for any medical therapy or care you are giving a patient (or a pet!).

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