quedarse
“quedarse” means “to stay” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to stay, to remain
📝 In Action
¿Te quedas en casa esta noche?
A1Are you staying home tonight?
Nos quedamos tres días en el hotel.
A2We stayed at the hotel for three days.
Si no vienes, yo me quedo contigo.
A1If you don't come, I will stay with you.
to keep, to be left with
Also: to run out of
📝 In Action
Ella se quedó con mi libro favorito.
A2She kept my favorite book (took possession of it).
Después de la fiesta, solo nos quedamos con los platos sucios.
B1After the party, we were only left with the dirty dishes.
Si gastamos todo, nos quedaremos sin dinero.
B1If we spend everything, we will run out of money.
to become, to end up, to fall
Also: to be speechless
📝 In Action
Se quedó dormida viendo la película.
B1She fell asleep watching the movie.
Me quedé totalmente asombrado por la noticia.
B1I became/was left totally astonished by the news.
Con esa actitud, te vas a quedar solo.
B2With that attitude, you are going to end up alone.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "quedarse" in Spanish:
to become→to choose→to fall→to keep→to remain→to stay→🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: quedarse
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'quedarse' to mean 'to keep possession of'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *quietare*, meaning 'to quiet,' 'to rest,' or 'to settle.' The Spanish verb 'quedar' originally meant 'to cease movement' or 'to remain settled.' Adding the reflexive pronoun '-se' emphasizes that the action of remaining or settling applies directly to the subject.
First recorded: 13th century (as quedar)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'quedar' and 'quedarse'?
'Quedar' (without -se) has several impersonal meanings: 'to fit' ('La camisa le queda bien'), 'to meet' ('Quedamos a las siete'), or 'to remain' in an impersonal sense ('Quedan dos manzanas'). 'Quedarse' (with -se) always focuses on the subject, meaning 'to stay,' 'to keep,' or 'to become'.
When do I need to attach the 'me/te/se' pronouns to the end of the verb?
You attach the pronoun to the end of the verb when it is in the infinitive ('quedarse'), the gerund ('quedándose'), and the affirmative command form ('quédate'). In all other tenses, the pronoun comes before the conjugated verb ('Me quedo', 'Te quedaste').