Breakdown of Quisiera entender lo de la mensualidad.
de
from / of
querer
to want
entender
to understand
lo
the ... thing (neuter article)
la mensualidad
the monthly rent / the monthly payment
Questions & Answers about Quisiera entender lo de la mensualidad.
Why is quisiera used here instead of quiero or querría?
Quisiera is the imperfect subjunctive of querer (to want), but here it functions as a polite request, translating to 'I would like.' Using quiero ('I want') sounds too direct or demanding. While the conditional querría also means 'I would like,' quisiera is much more common in Latin America to soften requests and show politeness.
What exactly does lo de mean in this sentence?
Does mensualidad specifically mean 'rent'?
Not exclusively. Mensualidad literally refers to any monthly payment. Depending on the context, it could mean monthly rent, a school tuition fee, a gym membership, or an allowance. Here, 'monthly rent' makes the most sense in English, but the Spanish word just focuses on the monthly nature of the payment.
Why is entender in the infinitive when it follows a subjunctive verb?
When there is no change in subject, the second verb stays in the infinitive, regardless of what tense or mood the first verb is in. Because the same person who 'would like' is the one who will 'understand' (I), you use the infinitive entender. If you were asking someone else to understand, you would use que plus a conjugated verb.
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