Breakdown of Empecé la transferencia para pagar la deuda.
pagar
to pay
para
for
empezar
to start / to begin
la transferencia
the transfer
Questions & Answers about Empecé la transferencia para pagar la deuda.
Why is it empecé with a c instead of a z?
The infinitive (dictionary form) of the verb is empezar. In the preterite (past tense), verbs ending in -zar change the z to a c in the yo (I) form. This happens because Spanish spelling rules prefer to use c instead of z before the vowels e and i.
The lesson covers changes for -gar verbs. Why doesn't pagar change to pagué here?
The spelling changes only happen when you actually conjugate the verb into the yo form. In this sentence, pagar remains in its infinitive (unchanged) form because it comes directly after the preposition para. If the sentence were simply 'I paid the debt,' then it would change to Pagué la deuda.
Why do we use para here instead of por?
When para is followed immediately by an infinitive verb (like pagar), it means 'in order to.' So, para pagar translates to 'in order to pay.' Using para to show the purpose or goal of an action is one of the most common ways to use it!
Is there a trick to remembering words like transferencia?