The Italian verb Vorrei is very common in spoken Italian and corresponds to the English verb “I would like”. It’s the first person of the present conditional of “volere” that means “to want”.
The alternative way to express a desire in Italian is “Voglio” that’s the first person of the present indicative of the same verb (volere).
However ‘Vorrei’ is a much politer version of ‘Voglio, as ‘would like’ is of ‘want’.
The Italian Verb VORREI in a Stunning Song by Francesco Guccini
First thing first: if you love the Italian language you have to learn this song by heart!
And I would say more with a pun: learn it with the heart too because it’s a song that speaks of love!
In fact, it’s a literary masterpiece that manages to strike the heart of each listener with extraordinary poetic vehemence.
This magnificent song can be a great motivation to learn Italian, especially if you are a poetry buff. The Italian language used here is quite advanced, but the music and your following by singing will help you enormously to internalize the phrases and sayings of this beautiful literary piece
Vorrei conoscer l’odore del tuo paese,
I would like to know the smell of your country,
camminare di casa nel tuo giardino,
walking home in your garden,
respirare nell’aria sale e maggese,
breathing in the air salt and maggese,
gli aromi della tua salvia e del rosmarino.
the aromas of your sage and Rosemary.
Vorrei che tutti gli anziani mi salutassero
I’d like all the elders to say hello to me.
parlando con me del tempo e dei giorni andati,
talking to me about the time and days gone.
Vorrei che gli amici tuoi tutti mi parlassero,
I wish your friends would all talk to me,
come se amici fossimo sempre stati.
like we were always friends.
Vorrei incontrare le pietre, le strade, gli usci
I would like to meet the stones, the streets, the exits
e i ciuffi di parietaria attaccati ai muri,
and the clumps of Parietaria attached to the walls,
le strisce delle lumache nei loro gusci,
the strips of snails in their shells,
capire tutti gli sguardi dietro agli scuri
understand all the looks behind the shutters
E lo vorrei perchè non sono quando non ci sei
and I would because I’m not when you’re not here
e resto solo coi pensieri miei ed io…
just stay with my thoughts and me…
Vorrei con te da solo sempre viaggiare,
I would always travel with you alone,
scoprire quello che intorno c’è da scoprire,
discover what’s around there from discovering,
per raccontarti e poi farmi raccontare
to tell you and then make me tell you
il senso d’un rabbuiarsi e del tuo gioire.
the sense of a frown and your joy.
Vorrei tornare nei posti dove son stato,
I’d like to go back to where I’ve been,
spiegarti di quanto tutto sia poi diverso
explain to you how different everything is
e per farmi da te spiegare cos’è cambiato
and to get you to explain what’s changed
e quale sapore nuovo abbia l’ universo.
and what a new flavor the universe has.
Vorrei restare per sempre in un posto solo,
I’d like to stay in one place forever,
per ascoltare il suono del tuo parlare
to listen to the sound of your speech
e guardare stupito il lancio, la grazia, il volo,
and look amazed at the launch, the grace, the flight,
impliciti dentro al semplice tuo camminare…
implicit in your simple walk…
E restare in silenzio al suono della tua voce,
and remain silent to the sound of your voice,
o parlare, parlare, parlare, parlarmi addosso
or talk, talk, talk, talk, blabber,
dimenticando il tempo troppo veloce,
forgetting time too fast,
o nascondere in due sciocchezze che son commosso.
or hide in two nonsenses that I’m moved.
Vorrei cantare il canto delle tue mani,
I’d like to sing the song of your hands,
giocare con te un eterno gioco proibito
play with you an eternal forbidden game
che l’oggi restasse oggi senza domani
that might today remain without tomorrow
o domani potesse tendere all’ infinito…
or tomorrow might tend to Infinity…
E lo vorrei perchè non sono quando non ci sei
and I would because I’m not when you’re not here
e resto solo coi pensieri miei ed io…
just stay with my thoughts and me…
See also A “Successful” Italian Verb – How to Say “To Win” in Italian (12 Expressions)
Italian Words, Expressions, and Idioms in the Song
parlarsi addosso = to blabber, to talk constantly
“Parlare” means to speak, whereas “addosso” means “on” – literally the expression could be translated with “to speak on themselves”.
Perchè non sono quando non ci sei: this is a poetic word game that combines in fact 2 different expressions of the verb “essere”. “Non sono” means “I am not”, but also “I don’t exist”, and consequently “I am nothing” while “Non ci sei” means “you are not here (with me)”…
Parietaria: this is the name of a plant that grows on rubbish and walls. No need to translate this word because is exactly the same in English. However, here you can learn a new Italian word.
“Parietaria” derives from the Latin word “páries” that has become in Italian “parete” with the meaning of “wall”.
Gli scuri: If we translated this word literally we would have to write “the dark ones” because “dark” is the right translation for “scuro”. However “gli scuri” is also the idiomatic expression to indicate the shutters in Italian. Another way to name them is “le imposte”.
Sciocchezze: this word is the plural of sciocchezza that can be translated into English with “nonsense” or, alternative, with “trifle, nothing”.
How do you Conjugate the Present Conditional [Italian Verb VORREI]?
Many people ask this question online, but in fact, the verb is:
VOLERE (the infinitive)
“Voglio” is the first person of the present indicative tense,
whereas
“Vorrei” is the first person of the Italian present conditional tense.
See the complete conjugation of volere by clicking here.
In the table below you can learn the present conditional of “volere“:
Presente CondizionalePresent Conditionalio vorrei
tu vorresti
lui/lei vorrebbe
noi vorremmo
voi vorreste
loro vorrebberoI would like
you would like
he/she would like
we would like
you would like
they would like
⇑ Back to the Table of Contents – Italian Verb VORREI ⇑
Italian Verb VORREI: Another Catchy Song by LunaPop
As always, sing-along enthusiastically and learn Italian with fun:
Vorrei, vorrei
I would like to, I would like
Esaudire tutti sogni tuoi.
To fulfill all your dreams.
Vorrei, vorrei
I would like to, I would like
Cancellare ciò che tu non vuoi
To delete what you don’t want
Però lo sai
But you know it
Che io vivo attraverso gli occhi tuoi…
that I live through your eyes…
Vorrei, vorrei
I would like to, I would like
che tu fossi felice in ogni istante
you were happy at every moment
Vorrei,vorrei
to be with you forever
Però lo sai
But you know it
che io vivo attraverso gli occhi tuoi
that I live through your eyes…
Io vorrei poterti amare
I would like to be able to love you
fino a quando tu ci sarai,
As long as you’re there,
Sono nato per regalarti
I was born to give you
quel che ancora tu non hai.
What you still don’t have.
Così se vuoi portarmi
So if you want to take me
dentro al cuore tuo con te,
Inside your heart with you,
Io ti prego e sai perché?
I beg you, and you know, why?
Vorrei, vorrei
I would like to, I would like
Esaudire tutti sogni tuoi.
Fulfill all your dreams.
Vorrei, vorrei
I would like to, I would like
Cancellare ciò che tu non vuoi
To delete what you don’t want
Però lo sai
But you know it
Che io vivo attraverso gli occhi tuoi…
that I live through your eyes…