quedar
“quedar” means “to remain” in Spanish. It has 4 different meanings depending on context:
to remain, to be left
Also: to have left
📝 In Action
Solo quedan dos manzanas en la nevera.
A1Only two apples remain in the fridge.
¿Cuánto tiempo nos queda para terminar el proyecto?
A2How much time do we have left to finish the project?
Después de la cena, siempre queda algo de postre.
A1After dinner, there is always some dessert left over.
to be located, to be situated
Also: to meet up
📝 In Action
¿Dónde queda el museo de arte moderno?
A2Where is the modern art museum located?
La oficina queda lejos de mi casa.
A2The office is far from my house.
Quedamos en el cine a las ocho.
B1We agreed to meet at the cinema at eight.
to fit, to suit
Also: to turn out
📝 In Action
Esta camisa me queda muy pequeña.
A2This shirt fits me too small.
El vestido rojo te queda genial.
B1The red dress looks great on you.
Después de tanto trabajo, la casa quedó limpia.
B2After so much work, the house ended up clean.
to stay, to remain
Also: to keep, to adopt a state
📝 In Action
Me voy a quedar en casa esta noche.
A1I am going to stay home tonight.
¿Te quedaste con el cambio?
A2Did you keep the change?
El niño se quedó dormido en el sofá.
B1The child fell asleep on the sofa.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quedar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'quedar' to describe what is left over?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *quietare*, meaning 'to quiet,' 'to rest,' or 'to settle.' Over time, the meaning evolved from 'to become still' to 'to remain in a place or state.'
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the key difference between 'quedar' and 'quedarse'?
Quedar (non-reflexive) usually means 'to remain' (quantity, location, result). Quedarse (reflexive) means 'to stay' (action/decision not to leave), or 'to fall into a state' (like falling asleep or going quiet). Think of the 'se' as drawing the action of staying back onto the person doing the staying.
How do I know if 'quedar' means 'to meet' or 'to be located'?
If you see 'quedar' followed by a location (¿Dónde queda el banco?) it means 'to be located.' If you see 'quedar con' followed by a person (Quedamos con María) or 'quedar en' followed by a time/place, it means 'to arrange a meeting.'