En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum.

It means first, first of all, or in the first place.

It is a common expression used to organize ideas, arguments, or steps. In a more literal sense, it is in first place, but in English we normally translate it idiomatically.

So here it is introducing the first point: First of all, we need quorum.

Because en primer lugar is a fixed expression.

When Spanish speakers use it to organize what they are saying, they normally do not include the article el. It works like a discourse marker, not like a literal physical location.

• En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum. = First of all, we need quorum.
• En el primer lugar de la lista... = In the first place on the list...

So en el primer lugar would sound more literal, as if you were talking about an actual position.

Because primero changes to primer before a singular masculine noun.

This is called apocope: some Spanish words lose their final vowel in certain positions.

• primero → primer before a masculine singular noun
• lugar is masculine singular

So:

• primer lugar = correct
• primero lugar = not correct here

Compare:

• el primer día
• el primer problema
• but el día primero is possible in some special contexts, especially dates or formal styles

Necesitamos is the 1st person plural present indicative of necesitar.

That means:

• necesito = I need
• necesitas = you need
• necesita = he/she/it needs
• necesitamos = we need
• necesitáis = you all need (Spain)
• necesitan = they/you all need

So in this sentence, necesitamos simply means we need.

Because Spanish often leaves subject pronouns out when the verb already makes the subject clear.

With necesitamos, the ending -amos already tells you the subject is we. So nosotros is not necessary.

• Necesitamos cuórum. = normal, natural
• Nosotros necesitamos cuórum. = also correct, but more emphatic

You might add nosotros if you want contrast, for example:

• Ellos no están listos, pero nosotros necesitamos cuórum.

Because here cuórum is being used in a general, institutional sense: we need quorum.

Spanish often allows a bare noun in this kind of context, especially after verbs like necesitar when you mean the thing in general rather than one specific identified instance.

So:

• Necesitamos cuórum. = natural
• Necesitamos el cuórum. = possible if you mean a specific quorum already understood in context

For example, if everyone already knows the required quorum for a meeting, el cuórum could refer to that specific required number. But without the article, the sentence sounds very natural as a general statement.

Cuórum means the minimum number of people who must be present for a meeting, assembly, or vote to be valid.

It is used in formal contexts such as:

• meetings
• committees
• councils
• shareholder assemblies
• parliamentary settings

So if there are not enough people present, there is no cuórum, and the meeting may not be able to proceed officially.

Because cuórum is the adapted Spanish spelling, and the accent mark shows where the stress goes.

It is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable, roughly:

• CUÓ-rum

The accent helps show that pronunciation clearly in Spanish spelling.

You may sometimes see the Latin/foreign-looking form quorum in some texts, but cuórum is the fully Spanish-adapted form.

A simple pronunciation guide would be:

en pree-MEHR loo-GAR, neh-theh-see-TA-mos KWO-rum

A few notes for Spain:

• In much of Spain, the c before e/i is pronounced like th in thin, so necesitamos sounds like neh-theh-see-TA-mos.
• r in primer and lugar is a tapped Spanish r.
• cuó in cuórum sounds roughly like kwo.

If you use a Latin American s sound instead of the Spain th sound, people will still understand you perfectly.

Usually, yes.

En primer lugar is an introductory expression, so a comma is normally used after it in writing:

• En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum.

The comma helps show that this phrase is setting up the first point. In very informal writing, people sometimes omit it, but the standard written form uses the comma.

Yes, absolutely.

Primero can also mean first and works well here:

• Primero, necesitamos cuórum.

The difference is mainly one of style:

• En primer lugar = a bit more formal, structured, and rhetorical
• Primero = simpler and slightly more direct

Both are correct. In a formal meeting or presentation, En primer lugar sounds especially natural.