En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum.

to need

Breakdown of En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum.

• el cuórum: the quorum
• en primer lugar: first of all

Questions & Answers about En primer lugar, necesitamos cuórum.

What does En primer lugar mean in this sentence?

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.

Why is it en primer lugar and not en el primer lugar?

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.

Why is it primer lugar and not primero lugar?