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Ti voglio bene, mamma.

Ti voglio bene, mamma.
I love you, mom.
From Lesson 159:Reciprocal verbs (ci, vi, si)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Ti voglio bene, mamma.

Why does this sentence use voglio bene instead of amo for "I love"?
In Italian, there are two common ways to say "I love". The verb amare is generally reserved for romantic love. For family members, close friends, and pets, Italians use the expression voler bene (literally "to want well"). Since the speaker is talking to their mom, voglio bene is the perfect choice!
What exactly is the word Ti doing at the start of the sentence?
Ti is an indirect object pronoun meaning "to you". The full Italian expression is voler bene a qualcuno (to want well to someone). Because the expression requires that "to", we must use the indirect pronoun ti. So, Ti voglio bene literally means "I want well to you."
We are learning about reciprocal actions. How would I change this to mean "we love each other"?
You would use the reciprocal pronoun ci (to each other) and the "we" form of the verb, making it Ci vogliamo bene. This translates perfectly to "we want well to each other," which is the standard way family members or friends say "we love each other".
Could I put the "you" at the end and say Voglio bene a te, mamma?
Yes, you can, but it changes the tone! Using a te instead of the little pronoun ti adds a lot of emphasis. It sounds like you are clarifying: "I love you (specifically you, and not someone else)." For a normal, everyday "I love you," putting ti before the verb is the standard phrasing.

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