Welcome, language learners! Let's talk about a pair of Spanish verbs that can twist your brain into a pretzel: quedar and quedarse.
You see them everywhere, and they look almost identical. But that little -se on the end packs a powerful punch, completely changing the meaning of the sentence. Is it about meeting up, staying home, or how a new jacket looks on you? It all depends on that reflexive pronoun.
Don't worry. By the end of this post, you'll not only understand the difference but also know exactly when to use each one. Let's dive in and untangle this tricky duo for good!
Part 1: Quedar – The Social Butterfly
Think of quedar as the more "outward-looking" of the two. It often deals with things outside of yourself, like what’s left over, how things look on you, or making plans with others.
Meaning 1: To Be Left / To Remain
This is one of the most common uses of quedar. You use it to talk about what is remaining from a larger quantity.
- No quedan entradastickets para el concierto. (There are no tickets left for the concert.)
- Solo me queda un euro. (I only have one euro left.)
- ¿Queda un poco de tartacake? (Is there a little bit of cake left?)
Notice that the verb is conjugated based on the thing that is left, not the person.
Meaning 2: To Arrange to Meet
If you want to make plans with someone, quedar is your go-to verb. It's the Spanish equivalent of "to meet up" or "to arrange to meet."
- ¿Quedamos a las cinco en la plaza? (Shall we meet at five in the square?)
- He quedado con Ana para tomar un café. (I've arranged to meet Ana for a coffee.)
Conversation Superpower
This use of quedar is incredibly common in daily conversation. Mastering it will make you sound much more natural when making plans with Spanish-speaking friends!
Meaning 3: To Suit / To Fit (Clothes)
When you're trying on clothes and want to say something looks good, fits well, or doesn't fit, quedar is the perfect choice. The structure is similar to gustar.
- Esa chaqueta te queda muy bien. (That jacket suits you very well.)
- Los zapatos me quedan pequeños. (The shoes are too small for me.)
Let's look at the correct structure. The item of clothing is the subject, and the person is the indirect object.
Drag the handle to compare
Part 2: Quedarse – The Personal Experience
Now, let's add the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Quedarse brings the action back to the subject. It’s about what the subject is doing or what is happening to them.
Meaning 1: To Stay / To Remain (in a place)
This is the most fundamental meaning of quedarse. When you want to talk about not leaving a place, this is your verb.
- Hoy no salgo, me quedo en casa. (I'm not going out today, I'm staying home.)
- ¿Por qué no te quedas a dormir? (Why don't you stay the night?)
- Nos quedamos en la playa hasta el atardecer. (We stayed at the beach until sunset.)
Let's test your understanding.
Which verb should you use? '___ en un hotel cerca del centro.'
Meaning 2: To Keep Something
When you decide to hold onto something, you use quedarse con.
- Entre la camisa azul y la roja, me quedo con la azul. (Between the blue shirt and the red one, I'll keep the blue one.)
- ¿Puedo quedarme con tu bolígrafo? (Can I keep your pen?)
Meaning 3: To Become / To End Up (Change of State)
Quedarse can also describe a change in physical or emotional state, often as the result of an event. This is similar to other verbs that express change of state, which is a key concept for learners.
- Se quedó sorprendidosurprised con la noticia. (He was surprised by the news.)
- Después del susto, me quedé sin palabras. (After the scare, I was left speechless.)
- Mi abuelo se está quedando sordo. (My grandfather is going deaf.)
This use is powerful for storytelling, as it highlights a reaction or transformation.
Let's Practice!
Time to put your knowledge to the test. Unscramble the following sentence to see how well you've grasped the concept of quedarse.
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
Key Takeaways: Quedar vs. Quedarse
Let's boil it all down into a simple table.
Quedar (Non-Reflexive) | Quedarse (Reflexive) |
|---|---|
To be left over: Queda café. | To stay: Me quedo aquí. |
To meet up: Quedamos a las 3. | To keep: Me quedo con esto. |
To suit/fit: Te queda bien. | To become: Se quedó triste. |
The key is to ask yourself a simple question: Is the subject staying, keeping something, or changing state? If yes, you probably need the reflexive quedarse. If you're talking about making plans, how something fits, or what's left, you need the non-reflexive quedar.
Like any tricky grammar point, mastering quedar and quedarse just takes practice. Start listening for them in conversations and movies, and don't be afraid to try using them yourself. ¡Poco a poco! (Little by little!)
Want more practice? Explore our Spanish Stories for examples of these verbs in context!