quédate
/KEH-dah-teh/
stay
The primary meaning of quédate is the command 'stay' or 'remain in a place'.
quédate(Verb)
stay
?Telling someone to remain in a place.
be still
?Telling someone to stop moving.
📝 In Action
Por favor, quédate aquí conmigo.
A1Please, stay here with me.
Quédate a cenar, he preparado paella.
A2Stay for dinner, I've made paella.
¡Quédate quieto un momento!
A2Stay still for a moment!
💡 Grammar Points
A Command + 'You'
Think of 'quédate' as two parts: 'queda' (the command 'stay') and 'te' ('you'). When you tell someone to do something in Spanish, these little words like 'te' get attached right to the end of the verb.
Telling Who to Stay
'Quédate' is the friendly, informal way to tell one person ('tú') to stay. If you're talking to someone more formally ('usted'), you'd say 'quédese'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'te'
Mistake: "Queda aquí."
Correction: Quédate aquí. When telling *someone* to stay, you need to add the 'te' to show who you're talking to. 'Queda' by itself can mean 'it remains' or is part of a different expression, so 'quédate' is much clearer.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Warm Invitation
Using 'quédate' often sounds friendly and inviting. 'Quédate a cenar' ('Stay for dinner') is a very common and warm way to invite someone to stay longer.
When referring to an object, quédate (often used with con) means 'keep it', such as in 'keep the change'.
📝 In Action
Quédate el cambio, es para ti.
A2Keep the change, it's for you.
Si te gusta el libro, quédate con él.
B1If you like the book, keep it.
Puedes usar mi paraguas, quédatelo hasta que pare de llover.
B1You can use my umbrella, keep it until it stops raining.
💡 Grammar Points
Keeping vs. Staying
The context tells you if 'quédate' means 'stay' or 'keep'. If someone is talking about an object (like change, a book, a pen), they almost always mean 'keep it'.
Adding 'con'
When using 'quedarse' to mean 'to keep', you'll often see the word 'con' after it, as in 'quedarse con algo' (to keep something). This helps make the meaning clear.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: quédate
Question 1 of 2
A friend offers you a pen and you want to say 'Keep it'. What do you say?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'queda' and 'quédate'?
'Quédate' is a direct command to *you* (informal 'tú') telling you to stay. 'Queda' on its own can mean 'it remains' or 'there is left' (e.g., 'queda un pastel' - there is one cake left). So, to tell a person to stay, you need to add the 'te'.
How do I say 'stay' to my boss or an older person?
For formal situations (addressing 'usted'), you would use 'quédese'. For example, 'Quédese el tiempo que necesite' means 'Stay as long as you need'.
Why is there an accent mark on 'quédate'?
When you attach a pronoun like 'te' to the end of a command, it adds an extra syllable. The accent mark is added to keep the stress on the correct part of the original verb ('que-'), so the pronunciation stays natural.