Can "volver a + infinitive" take more than one "Infinitive"?

Question

My question has to do with "Volver a + infinitive" meaning "to do again".

This is the "SpanishDict" video example sentence for "Coger":

Volvió a coger su silla y a sentarse. (He returned to take out his chair and to sit in it.)

Is "Volvió" taking both "a coger" and "a sentarse" in a compound manner?

That's the only way the translations made sense to me as it is written.

 So:

With this possibility in mind, I came up with the following translation:

"He grabbed his chair again and sat down again."

Which seems to explain the more "natural sounding" translation given in the video:

"He returned to take out his chair and to sit in it."

Can anyone tell me if I'm looking at this in the right way?

Thanks to anyone who answers!

Answer 1

HI Becket, to be honest, I consider this an unfortunate example.

Your appreciation is however correct. Volver a + infinitive is a structure that can take several infinitives. (in any tense)

Estuvo enfermo durante mucho tiempo. Ahora ha vuelto a comer solo, a correr todos los días y a dormir bien.

Hace un mes paré de fumar y no he vuelto a tocar ni a fumar un solo cigarrillo .

To tell the truth or to tell you the truth. - Mardle, Sep 4, 2017

You can also start the sentence If truth be known (if is sometimes omitted) It is idiomatic. From a style point of view I would start with that or to tell the truth or to tell you the truth - Mardle, Sep 4, 2017

I know it is to tell you the truth, but colloquially , can't you skip the !to!? - 006595c6, Sep 4, 2017

I changed it to "to be honest" - 006595c6, Sep 4, 2017

Heidita2, thank you so much for the great answer! I also appreciate very much that you took the time to give those excellent examples! ¡Muchísimas gracias! - 004d9596, Sep 5, 2017

Hi Heidita2. I saw your post with all the comments about "To tell the truth". I think any native English speaker would understand any of them. For me, I like and use myself (as a native English speaker) "Honestly". I think it's the easiest and flows well. - 004d9596, Sep 5, 2017