Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Necesito estudiar lentamente.

In Spanish, certain verbs like necesitar are typically followed by the infinitive form of another verb. Because necesito is conjugated in the first person (I need), the action that follows—estudiar—remains in its base (infinitive) form (to study).

Could I say Necesito lentamente estudiar instead?

While you might see adverbs in different positions, placing lentamente before estudiar would sound a bit awkward. The most natural positioning in Spanish is usually after the verb or at the very beginning of the sentence if you want to put special emphasis on studying slowly (e.g., Lentamente, necesito estudiar). However, Necesito estudiar lentamente is the most common and fluid arrangement.

Is there a difference between lentamente and despacio in this sentence?

Both words can express the idea of doing something slowly. Despacio is more casual and commonly used in everyday speech, while lentamente can sound slightly more formal. In this context, they are interchangeable.

Could I use Tengo que estudiar lentamente instead?