Breakdown of Necesito confirmar el pago antes de la reunión.
yo
I
antes de
before
necesitar
to need
la reunión
the meeting
confirmar
to confirm
el pago
the payment
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Questions & Answers about Necesito confirmar el pago antes de la reunión.
Why is necesito followed directly by confirmar in its infinitive form rather than a conjugated verb?
In Spanish, verbs like necesitar, querer, poder or deber function as modal verbs. They express necessity, desire or obligation and must be followed by another verb in the infinitive. That’s why you say necesito confirmar (“I need to confirm”) instead of trying to conjugate confirmar again.
Why do we include el before pago? Couldn’t we say necesito confirmar pago?
When you refer to a specific instance, Spanish normally uses the definite article. El pago makes clear you’re talking about that particular payment. Omitting the article (necesito confirmar pago) sounds either too generic or ungrammatical in most contexts.
Can I replace antes de la reunión with an infinitive clause like antes de reunirme?
Yes, both are correct but focus on slightly different things:
- antes de la reunión uses a noun phrase (“before the meeting”).
- antes de reunirme uses an infinitive (“before meeting”).
Use whichever fits your emphasis—talking about the event itself versus the act of meeting.
Why isn’t it antes de que empiece la reunión instead of antes de la reunión?
You use antes de + noun (or infinitive) for simple “before X” statements. If you want a full subordinate clause with a conjugated verb, you must add que and use the subjunctive:
• Necesito confirmar el pago antes de la reunión.
• Necesito confirmar el pago antes de que empiece la reunión.
How can I use a direct‐object pronoun instead of repeating el pago?
Spanish allows you to attach pronouns to infinitives. Replace el pago with lo (masculine singular):
• Necesito confirmarlo antes de la reunión.
What’s the nuance between confirmar and verificar?
Both mean “to check,” but:
- Confirmar suggests getting final approval or assurance (“make sure it’s done”).
- Verificar implies checking accuracy or details (“verify the facts”).
How do you pronounce reunión correctly?
It’s reh-oo-NYON, with stress on the last syllable because of the accented ó. The ending -ción always sounds like “nyon.”
Could I soften necesito confirmar to sound more polite or hypothetical?
Yes. Use the conditional or periphrastic future:
• Necesitaría confirmar el pago antes de la reunión. (I would need to confirm…)
• Voy a necesitar confirmar el pago antes de la reunión. (I’m going to need to confirm…)