Breakdown of O paciente quer voltar a andar bem.
bem
well / fine
a
to / at (direction)
voltar
to return
querer
to want
Questions & Answers about O paciente quer voltar a andar bem.
How does "voltar a andar" translate to "walk again"?
The phrase voltar a followed by an infinitive verb like andar is the standard way to express doing an action again in Portuguese. Literally, it means "to return to walking".
Why isn't there a word for "to" between "quer" and "voltar"?
In English, we say "wants to return". But in Portuguese, the verb querer (to want) connects directly to the next verb in its infinitive form without any preposition. So, quer voltar is all you need.
Why does the preposition "a" sit between "voltar" and "andar"?
The verb voltar requires the preposition a when it links to another verb to mean doing something again. You will always use the pattern voltar a plus the unconjugated infinitive verb.