Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Vale, nos vemos en el bar antes de que empiece el concierto. - Okay, see you at the bar before the concert starts.

Vale means OK/All right/Sure. It’s very common in Spain in everyday, neutral-casual speech. In Latin America you’ll rarely hear it; alternatives there include bueno, dale, sale, or okey. For something a bit more formal you can use De acuerdo.

Is nos vemos literally “we see ourselves”? What does nos do here?

Nos here is reciprocal, not reflexive: nos vemos means “we see each other.” It’s also a set phrase used like “see you.” So nos vemos en el bar = “we’ll see each other at the bar / see you at the bar.”

Why is the present tense used (nos vemos) for a future plan? Why not nos veremos?

Spanish often uses the present for near-future, scheduled plans, especially in casual speech: nos vemos is perfectly natural. Nos veremos is also correct and sounds a bit more explicit or formal, like “we will see each other.”

Do I need to say nosotros? Is Nosotros nos vemos… better?

No. Spanish usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Nos vemos already means “we see each other.” Nosotros nos vemos is only used for emphasis or contrast.

Why is it en el bar and not al bar?

En indicates location (“at/in”), so en el bar = “at the bar.” A / al indicates movement (“to”), so you’d use al bar with a motion verb: vamos al bar (“we’re going to the bar”). Note that al = a + el; there’s no contraction with en.

Could I say quedamos en el bar instead of nos vemos en el bar?

Yes. In Spain, quedar is very common for making plans: Quedamos en el bar… = “Let’s meet at the bar…” Nos vemos is slightly looser/more general; nos encontramos is also possible and more literal (“we meet each other”).

Why is it antes de que and not just antes de?

Use:

antes de + noun/infinitive when no conjugated verb follows (and typically the subject is the same): antes de cenar, antes del concierto.
antes de que + conjugated verb (subjunctive) when a full clause follows: antes de que empiece el concierto. Here, there’s a new clause with its own verb (empiece), so antes de que is required.

Why is empiece in the subjunctive?

Time clauses with antes de que normally take the subjunctive because the action is not yet realized at the reference time (it’s anticipated/uncertain). For future/ongoing reference you use present subjunctive (empiece). In past narration you’d use imperfect subjunctive: antes de que empezara.

Can I say antes del concierto instead of antes de que empiece el concierto?

Yes. Antes del concierto is simpler and fully correct. Antes de que empiece el concierto highlights the exact starting moment as the cutoff; antes del concierto is more general (“before the concert”).

Is antes que empiece acceptable?

In Spain, the standard in this temporal use is antes de que. You may hear antes que in some regions or fixed expressions, but with a verb clause meaning “before [something] happens,” stick to antes de que.

What exact form is empiece, and how is it formed?

Empiece is the present subjunctive of empezar (1st and 3rd person singular). Verbs ending in -zar change z → c before e: empezar → empiece. Present subjunctive paradigm: empiece, empieces, empiece, empecemos, empecéis, empiecen.

Could I use comience instead of empiece?

Yes. Comenzar ≈ empezar, so antes de que comience el concierto is fine. Comenzar can sound a touch more formal or neutral; both are widely understood in Spain.

Is de que here an example of the dreaded dequeísmo?

No. Antes de que is the correct fixed sequence; the de belongs there. Dropping it (antes que empiece) is what would be considered nonstandard in Spain in this context.

Why is there a comma after Vale?

Vale is an interjection/discourse marker, so it’s set off with a comma: Vale, … You could also write it as a standalone sentence (Vale. Nos vemos…) for a slightly firmer pause.

Any quick pronunciation tips for Spain?

Vale: VA-leh.
nos vemos: nos VE-mos (the s is pronounced clearly in most of Spain).
bar: bar.
empiece: em-PYÉ-theh (the ce is “th” in most of Spain).
concierto: kon-THYÉR-to (again ci = “th” in most of Spain).

Can I move the time clause to the start?

Yes: Vale, antes de que empiece el concierto, nos vemos en el bar. When fronting the clause, use commas to set it off.

How formal is the whole sentence? How could I adjust the tone?

It’s casual-neutral. More formal: De acuerdo, nos vemos en el bar antes de que comience el concierto. More casual: Vale, nos vemos en el bar antes de que empiece el concierto.