quedar
/keh-DAHR/
to remain
Quedar (to remain): Solo queda una galleta. (Only one cookie remains.)
quedar(verb)
to remain
?quantity or amount
,to be left
?after consumption or use
to have left
?e.g., of time or money
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'quedar' with amounts
When talking about quantities or things that remain, 'quedar' works like 'gustar.' The verb agrees with the thing that is left (e.g., 'Quedan dos manzanas' - 'Two apples remain').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Subject Agreement
Mistake: "Yo quedo cinco euros. (I remain five euros.)"
Correction: Me quedan cinco euros. (Five euros remain to me.) – Remember the money is the subject, not 'yo.'
Quedar (to be located): La casa queda en la colina. (The house is located on the hill.)
quedar(verb)
to be located
?describing a permanent situation or location
,to be situated
?geographical location
to meet up
?when used with prepositions like 'con' or 'en'
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Meeting plans
To talk about arranging a specific time or place to meet, use 'quedar en' followed by a place or action, or simply 'quedar con' followed by a person: 'Quedamos en vernos mañana' (We arranged to see each other tomorrow).
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking for directions
Use 'quedar' instead of 'estar' when asking for the fixed location of a building or landmark: '¿Dónde queda X?'
Quedar (to fit): La camisa me queda bien. (The shirt fits me well.)
quedar(verb)
to fit
?clothes size
,to suit
?appearance, look
to turn out
?result or outcome
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Expressing how clothes fit
When talking about clothes, 'quedar' behaves like 'gustar' again. Use indirect object pronouns (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to show who the clothes fit: 'El pantalón me queda grande' (The pants fit me big).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'ser' or 'estar' for results
Mistake: "La comida está buena. (The food is good.) when describing the final result."
Correction: La comida quedó buena. (The food turned out good.) – Use 'quedar' to describe the outcome of a process.
Quedar (to stay): Vamos a quedar en casa hoy. (We are going to stay home today.)
quedar(verb)
to stay
?not leaving a location
,to remain
?in a state or place
to keep
?taking possession of something
,to adopt a state
?quedarse dormido (to fall asleep)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive
Using 'quedarse' (reflexive) emphasizes the decision to stay or the resulting state of the subject. 'Quedar' (non-reflexive) usually means what is left over, or where something is located.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Misplacing the pronoun in commands
Mistake: "Te queda en casa. (Stay home.)"
Correction: Quédate en casa. (Stay home.) – When giving positive commands, the reflexive pronoun (te) attaches to the verb.
⭐ Usage Tips
Falling into a state
We use 'quedarse' + adjective/past participle to show someone suddenly enters a new state: 'Quedarse ciego' (to go blind), 'quedarse sorprendido' (to become surprised).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: quedar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'quedar' to describe what is left over?
📚 More Resources
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.'