quedarme
/keh-DAR-meh/
to stay
Quedarme means 'to stay' or remain in a place.
quedarme(verb)
to stay
?remaining in a place
,to remain
?continuing in a situation or state
to linger
?staying longer than expected
📝 In Action
Prefiero quedar en casa en vez de salir hoy.
A1I prefer to stay at home instead of going out today.
Necesito tiempo para pensar si quiero quedarme aquí o irme.
A2I need time to think about whether I want to remain here or leave.
¿Puedo quedarme a dormir en tu sofá esta noche?
A1Can I stay and sleep on your couch tonight?
💡 Grammar Points
The attached 'me'
The ending '-me' means 'myself' or 'for me'. When attached to the end of a verb like 'quedarme', it means the action of staying is directed back toward the speaker ('I').
Placement Rule
In compound verb phrases (like 'voy a + infinitive' or 'quiero + infinitive'), you can either attach the 'me' to the end (quiero quedarme) or put it before the conjugated verb (me quiero quedar). Both are correct!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'me'
Mistake: "Cuando voy a visitar, yo quiero quedar en la casa."
Correction: Cuando voy a visitar, yo quiero quedarme en la casa. (If you forget the 'me,' the verb 'quedar' means 'to meet' or 'to be left over,' not 'to stay.')
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on Choice
Use 'quedarme' when you are talking about making a decision to stay or remain in a condition (physical or emotional). It emphasizes your deliberate choice.
Quedarme also means 'to keep' or take possession of something.
quedarme(verb)
to keep
?to take possession of an item
,to hold onto
?not returning something
to choose
?selecting one thing to keep out of many
📝 In Action
Después de ver las opciones, voy a quedarme con la camisa azul.
A2After seeing the options, I am going to keep the blue shirt.
Si encuentro dinero, no puedo quedármelo, tengo que devolverlo.
B1If I find money, I cannot keep it, I have to return it.
💡 Grammar Points
Keeping requires 'con'
When 'quedarme' means 'to keep' or 'to take possession of something,' it usually needs the preposition 'con' right after it, meaning 'quedarme con algo' (to keep something).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Omitting 'con'
Mistake: "Quiero quedarme la bicicleta."
Correction: Quiero quedarme con la bicicleta. (Using 'con' clarifies that you are taking possession, rather than just staying next to the bike.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Keep it or Buy it
In shopping or transaction contexts, this is the phrase you use when deciding what item you want to purchase or take home.
In this context, quedarme means 'to end up' or result in a specific state.
quedarme(verb)
to end up
?to result in a specific state
,to become
?describing a change in appearance or condition
to turn out
?how something results for the subject
📝 In Action
Si no tengo cuidado con la nieve, puedo quedarme resfriado.
B1If I'm not careful with the snow, I can end up catching a cold (being cold).
Después de ver la película de terror, voy a quedarme asustado por días.
B2After watching the horror movie, I am going to remain scared for days.
💡 Grammar Points
Becoming a State
This meaning links 'quedarme' with an adjective or a descriptive phrase to show the resulting state of the person. Think of it as 'I am left [in this condition].'
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Sudden Changes
This usage is perfect for expressing a sudden, often unexpected, change in state or feeling, like being surprised or running out of something.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: quedarme
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'quedarme' to express keeping possession of an object?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it sometimes 'quedarme' and sometimes 'me quedo'?
Both mean 'I stay.' 'Quedarme' is the infinitive (the base form, like 'to stay') and is used after other conjugated verbs (e.g., 'Necesito quedarme'). 'Me quedo' is the fully conjugated form used as the main verb (e.g., 'Yo me quedo aquí').
Is 'quedarme' the same as 'quedar'?
No. 'Quedar' means 'to meet up,' 'to suit,' or 'to be left over' (impersonal). 'Quedarme' (from *quedarse*) means 'I stay' or 'I keep.' Adding the '-me' changes the meaning completely, focusing the action back on the speaker.