Learn Italian: Voglio bene a mia nonna. - I love my grandmother dearly.

Voglio bene a mia nonna.

I love my grandmother dearly.

Breakdown of Voglio bene a mia nonna.

to love, to care about (ti voglio bene — warmer than amare)

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Questions & Answers about Voglio bene a mia nonna.

Why does the sentence use voglio bene instead of amo for "I love"?

In Italian, there are two main ways to say "to love." Amare is typically reserved for strong romantic love. For family members, friends, and pets, Italians use the expression voler bene a (literally "to want well to"). Because this sentence is about a grandmother, voglio bene is the natural choice!

Why is there an a before mia nonna?

The complete expression is voler bene a (someone). Because the literal meaning is "to want well to" someone, you always need the preposition a right before the person you are talking about.

Why isn't it a la mia nonna? Doesn't Italian usually put "la" before "mia"?

Normally, yes! But there is a strict rule for family members: when you use a possessive adjective (like mia or tuo) with a singular close family member (like nonna, madre, or fratello), you must drop the definite article (il or la). So it is just mia nonna. If it were plural, you would bring the article back: le mie nonne.