Breakdown of Volevo un risultato molto voluminoso.
un
a / an (masculine)
molto
very
volere
to want
il risultato
the result
Questions & Answers about Volevo un risultato molto voluminoso.
The translation says "I wanted," but since this lesson is about the polite imperfect, could this also mean "I would like"?
Exactly. This is the imperfetto attenuativo (mitigating imperfect) in action. While it literally translates to the past tense "I wanted," native speakers constantly use volevo in present-day situations to soften a request. If you are at a hair salon, saying volevo un risultato... sounds much less demanding than using the direct present tense voglio (I want).
How does using volevo for a polite request differ from using the conditional vorrei?
In daily spoken Italian, they are often interchangeable for polite requests. Vorrei (I would like) is the standard, textbook way to be polite. Volevo is slightly more colloquial and frames your request as an ongoing thought you brought into the shop with you ("I was wanting..."). It feels very natural and unpretentious in retail or casual service settings.
Just as a refresher, why doesn't molto change to match the masculine singular risultato voluminoso?
In what everyday context would an Italian typically ask for a risultato molto voluminoso?