Italian Phrase
Voglio comprare una casa.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I want to buy a house.’ It expresses a personal desire or intention regarding a major purchase. In Italian, the verb ‘volere’ directly governs an infinitive, so the structure is straightforward and very common in everyday conversation.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing your future plans with friends, family, or a real‑estate agent. It works both in casual chats (e.g., over coffee) and in more formal settings (e.g., a meeting with a broker).
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vogliocomprareunacasa
Volere (voglio)
‘Volere’ means ‘to want’. In the present indicative, the 1st person singular is ‘voglio’. It is followed by an infinitive verb.
Infinitive after volere
When ‘volere’ is used, the next verb stays in its infinitive form (e.g., ‘comprare’). No preposition is needed.
Indefinite article ‘una’
‘Una’ is the feminine singular indefinite article, used before a feminine noun that starts with a consonant.
Noun gender – ‘casa’
‘Casa’ (house) is a feminine noun, so it takes the article ‘una’ and adjectives agree in gender.
🗨In Conversation
Voglio comprare una casa.
I want to buy a house.
Hai già trovato qualcosa che ti piace?
Have you already found something you like?
✕Common Mistakes
Voglio comprare a una casa.
The infinitive ‘comprare’ does not take a preposition after ‘volere’.
Voglio comprare una case.
‘Casa’ is singular; the plural is ‘case’ and would need a different article.
Voglio comprare il casa.
‘Casa’ is feminine, so the correct article is ‘una’ (or ‘la’), not ‘il’.
↔Alternatives
Desidero acquistare una casa.
I desire to purchase a house.
Mi piacerebbe comprare una casa.
I would like to buy a house.
Sto pensando di comprare una casa.
I’m thinking about buying a house.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, ‘casa’ can refer to a detached house, a villa, or even a family home, while ‘appartamento’ is used for flats. When talking to a real‑estate agent, it’s common to specify the type (e.g., ‘una casa indipendente’). Also, Italians often discuss the location first, because the region dramatically affects price and lifestyle.