ELONIO
Log inSign up

Quello che il nomade vuole è essere autonomo.

Quello che il nomade vuole è essere autonomo.
What the nomad wants is to be autonomous.
From Lesson 235:Impersonal si with essere (si è stanchi)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Quello che il nomade vuole è essere autonomo.

Why does this sentence use the singular autonomo instead of the plural autonomi like we saw with the impersonal si?
This lesson teaches that the impersonal si (meaning 'one' or 'people in general') requires a plural adjective with essere, as in Quando si è autonomi (When one is autonomous). However, this sentence provides a contrast: it has a specific, singular subject (il nomade). Because we are talking about a specific singular noun instead of an impersonal 'one', the adjective autonomo stays singular to match it.
Why do we use Quello che for 'What' here instead of Cosa?
In Italian, cosa (or che cosa) is used to ask questions, like 'What do you want?' (Cosa vuoi?). When 'what' means 'that which' or 'the thing that' in a statement, you must use quello che or ciò che. So, 'The thing that the nomad wants...' correctly translates to Quello che il nomade vuole...
There are two verbs right next to each other (vuole è). How does that work?
It looks unusual, but they belong to different parts of the sentence. The entire phrase Quello che il nomade vuole (What the nomad wants) acts as the subject. The main verb of the whole sentence is the second verb, è (is). It is exactly like the English structure: '[What the nomad wants] is...'
How do we know whether to use masculine or feminine for words ending in -e like nomade?
Nouns ending in -e can be masculine or feminine, and usually you just have to memorize their gender. However, nomade is a word that can be either, depending on the person (il nomade for a male, la nomade for a female). Here, the masculine article il is used as a general default, which is why the adjective at the end takes the masculine ending in autonomo.

Learn Quello che il nomade vuole è essere autonomo and more in Italian

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Italian →