Inklingo

How to Say "to stay" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to stay” is “quedar” — use this common verb to express not leaving a place, often for a short period or with a sense of where you will be.

quedar🔊A1

Use this common verb to express not leaving a place, often for a short period or with a sense of where you will be.

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quedarse🔊A1

This reflexive form of 'quedar' is used to indicate remaining in a specific place, emphasizing the action of staying put.

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quedarme🔊A1

Use this reflexive form when you are the one staying in a place, as in 'I am staying home'.

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quedarnos🔊A1

This reflexive form indicates that 'we' are staying in a particular place.

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permanecer🔊A2

This verb is used for staying in a physical location for a longer duration or with a sense of permanence.

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mantener🔊B1

When used reflexively (mantenerse), this verb means to remain in a certain state or condition, like staying healthy or calm.

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mantenerte🔊A2

Use this reflexive form to tell someone else ('you' singular informal) to remain in a state or condition.

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mantenerme🔊A2

This reflexive form is used when 'I' need to remain in a specific state or condition.

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mantenernos🔊A2

Use this reflexive form when 'we' need to remain in a certain state or condition together.

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mantenerse🔊B1

This reflexive form refers to someone ('he', 'she', 'it', or 'they') maintaining a certain state or condition.

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hospedar🔊A2

Use the reflexive form 'hospedarse' to talk about lodging at a hotel or someone's house.

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English → Spanish

quedar

keh-DAHRkeˈðaɾ

verbA1general
Use this common verb to express not leaving a place, often for a short period or with a sense of where you will be.
A cozy interior scene showing a person sitting on a couch reading a book, while visible through a window, rain is falling heavily outside.

Examples

Me voy a quedar en casa esta noche.

I am going to stay home tonight.

¿Te quedaste con el cambio?

Did you keep the change?

El niño se quedó dormido en el sofá.

The child fell asleep on the sofa.

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.

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.

quedarse

keh-DAHR-sehkeˈðaɾse

verbA1general
This reflexive form of 'quedar' is used to indicate remaining in a specific place, emphasizing the action of staying put.
A small, friendly brown dog sitting comfortably on a colorful striped rug inside a cozy wooden cabin, looking content and choosing to remain in place.

Examples

¿Te quedas en casa esta noche?

Are you staying home tonight?

Nos quedamos tres días en el hotel.

We stayed at the hotel for three days.

Si no vienes, yo me quedo contigo.

If you don't come, I will stay with you.

The '-se' Ending

The '-se' part means the action bounces back to the person doing it. Here, it just reinforces that you are the one staying.

Using 'quedar' instead of 'quedarse'

Mistake: “Me quedo en casa. (Used correctly)”

Correction: Quiero quedar aquí. (Incorrect) -> Use 'quedarse' when talking about personally staying somewhere. 'Quedar' usually means 'to meet' or 'to fit'.

quedarme

keh-DAR-mehkeˈðaɾme

verbA1general
Use this reflexive form when you are the one staying in a place, as in 'I am staying home'.
A cheerful person sitting relaxed in an armchair inside a room next to a window, illustrating the act of staying.

Examples

Prefiero quedarme en casa en vez de salir hoy.

I prefer to stay at home instead of going out today.

Prefiero quedar en casa en vez de salir hoy.

I prefer to stay at home instead of going out today.

Necesito tiempo para pensar si quiero quedarme aquí o irme.

I need time to think about whether I want to remain here or leave.

¿Puedo quedarme a dormir en tu sofá esta noche?

Can I stay and sleep on your couch tonight?

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!

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.')

quedarnos

keh-DAHR-noskeˈðaɾnos

verbA1general
This reflexive form indicates that 'we' are staying in a particular place.
Two young friends sitting comfortably on a rug inside a brightly colored tent, smiling at each other, suggesting they are remaining in that location.

Examples

Preferimos quedarnos en el hotel esta noche.

We prefer to stay in the hotel tonight.

Antes de salir, tenemos que quedarnos tranquilos y pensar.

Before leaving, we have to remain calm and think.

¿A qué hora vamos a quedarnos para cenar?

What time are we going to meet up for dinner?

The Reflexive 'Nos'

'Quedarnos' is the base verb 'quedar' with the reflexive pronoun 'nos' attached. This 'nos' means the action is done to or for 'us' (nosotros), making it 'we stay'.

Attaching the Pronoun

When using the infinitive form, the pronoun ('nos') is always attached to the end. The conjugated forms separate the pronoun: 'Nos quedamos' (We stay).

Forgetting the 'Nos'

Mistake: “Vamos a quedar aquí. (Using the non-reflexive 'quedar')”

Correction: Vamos a quedarnos aquí. (The reflexive 'quedarse' is needed when you mean 'to stay' or 'to remain' in a place.)

permanecer

pehr-mah-neh-SEHRpeɾ.ma.neˈseɾ

verbA2general
This verb is used for staying in a physical location for a longer duration or with a sense of permanence.
A loyal brown dog sitting patiently on a welcome mat in front of a brightly colored door, illustrating remaining in a physical location.

Examples

Decidimos permanecer en casa por la tormenta.

We decided to stay home because of the storm.

El guardia debe permanecer en su puesto toda la noche.

The guard must remain at his post all night.

¿Cuánto tiempo puedes permanecer bajo el agua?

How long can you remain underwater?

The 'ZC' Change

In the 'yo' form of the present tense, the 'c' changes to 'zc' (permanezco). This happens to all verbs ending in '-ecer' like 'conocer' (conozco).

Forgetting the Irregularity

Mistake: “Yo permaneco en la oficina.”

Correction: Yo permanezco en la oficina. (Remember the 'zc' ending in the present tense 'yo' form.)

mantener

man-teh-NEHRmanteˈneɾ

verbB1general
When used reflexively (mantenerse), this verb means to remain in a certain state or condition, like staying healthy or calm.
A young adult character jogging energetically and smiling on a sunny path in a park, illustrating staying active and fit.

Examples

Para mantenerse en forma, corre todas las mañanas.

To stay in shape, he runs every morning.

Me mantuve callado durante la reunión para no causar problemas.

I remained quiet during the meeting to not cause problems.

Es difícil mantenerse positivo con tantas malas noticias.

It's difficult to stay positive with so much bad news.

Doing it to Yourself

When 'mantener' has 'se' on the end (mantenerse), it means the action is being done by the person to themselves. 'Mantengo la casa limpia' (I keep the house clean) vs. 'Me mantengo activo' (I keep myself active).

Forgetting the 'se'

Mistake: “Yo mantengo en forma.”

Correction: Yo me mantengo en forma. Because you are keeping *yourself* in shape, you need the little word 'me' (or 'te', 'se', etc.) before the verb.

mantenerte

man-teh-NEHR-tehmanteˈneɾte

verbA2general
Use this reflexive form to tell someone else ('you' singular informal) to remain in a state or condition.
A person standing perfectly balanced on a single foot with arms outstretched, maintaining a steady posture, representing keeping oneself in a state.

Examples

Tienes que aprender a mantenerte tranquilo en situaciones difíciles.

You have to learn to keep yourself calm in difficult situations.

¿Cómo logras mantenerte tan concentrado todo el tiempo?

How do you manage to stay so focused all the time?

Es difícil mantenerte al día con todas las noticias.

It's hard to keep yourself up to date with all the news.

The 'te' at the End

When you see a pronoun like 'te' attached to a verb, it usually means the action is happening to 'you.' Here, 'mantenerte' is the same as 'to keep you' or 'to keep yourself.'

When to Attach Pronouns

You can only attach pronouns (like 'te') to three verb forms: the infinitive (mantenerte), the gerund (manteniéndote), and the affirmative command (mantente).

Forgetting the Accent

Mistake: “Manteniendote (missing accent)”

Correction: Manteniéndote. When you add pronouns to the gerund, you almost always need an accent mark to keep the original stress pattern.

mantenerme

man-teh-NEHR-mehmanteˈneɾme

verbA2general
This reflexive form is used when 'I' need to remain in a specific state or condition.
A person stands perfectly still and balanced in the tree yoga pose on a lush green hill, illustrating remaining in a stable condition.

Examples

En una crisis, es vital mantenerme calmado.

In a crisis, it is vital to keep myself calm.

Tuve que esforzarme para mantenerme despierto.

I had to make an effort to stay awake.

Necesito mantenerme enfocado en el estudio.

I need to keep myself focused on studying.

Adjective Agreement

When 'mantenerme' is followed by an adjective (like 'calmado' or 'concentrado'), that adjective must agree in gender with the speaker. If the speaker is female, use 'mantenerme calmada'.

mantenernos

mahn-teh-NEHR-nohsmanteˈnernos

verbA2general
Use this reflexive form when 'we' need to remain in a certain state or condition together.
Two people sitting calmly on a park bench under a large tree, looking peaceful.

Examples

Debemos mantenernos unidos en los momentos difíciles.

We must stay united in difficult moments.

Hacemos ejercicio para mantenernos sanos.

We exercise to keep ourselves healthy.

Es importante mantenernos en contacto.

It is important for us to stay in touch.

The '-nos' ending

The suffix '-nos' is a pronoun that means 'us' or 'ourselves.' In Spanish, you can attach it directly to the end of the base verb (mantener) when it is in its original form.

Irregular root

This verb is based on 'tener' (to have). Just like 'tener' becomes 'tengo' and 'tuve,' 'mantener' becomes 'mantengo' and 'mantuve.'

Using the wrong person

Mistake: “Using 'mantenernos' when you mean 'myself.'”

Correction: Use 'mantenerme' for 'myself,' 'mantenerte' for 'yourself,' and 'mantenernos' ONLY for 'ourselves.'

mantenerse

mahn-teh-NEHR-sehman.teˈneɾ.se

verbB1general
This reflexive form refers to someone ('he', 'she', 'it', or 'they') maintaining a certain state or condition.
A character standing firmly and perfectly still on a small, flat green hill, emphasizing remaining in a stable condition.

Examples

Ella se mantiene muy activa a pesar de su edad.

She remains very active despite her age.

Necesitas mantenerte concentrado durante el examen.

You need to stay focused during the exam.

Si no te agarras, no te vas a mantener de pie.

If you don't hold on, you won't keep standing (keep your balance).

The '-se' Ending (Reflexive)

The '-se' means the action reflects back on the person doing it. Here, it means 'to keep/maintain oneself' in a certain state.

Irregularity Pattern

Like 'tener' (to have), the 'yo' form in the present tense uses '-go' (me mantengo), and the preterite (past simple) is completely irregular (me mantuve).

Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: “Yo mantengo tranquilo. (Incorrect)”

Correction: Yo me mantengo tranquilo. (Correct). Remember the 'me, te, se, nos' is required when you mean 'to keep oneself'.

hospedar

oh-speh-dahrospeˈðar

verbA2general
Use the reflexive form 'hospedarse' to talk about lodging at a hotel or someone's house.
A traveler relaxing on a comfortable bed in a tidy hotel room with a window view.

Examples

¿Dónde te vas a hospedar cuando vayas a Madrid?

Where are you going to stay when you go to Madrid?

Nos hospedamos en un hostal muy barato.

We stayed in a very cheap hostel.

Siempre se hospeda en el mismo hotel de lujo.

He always stays in the same luxury hotel.

The Mirror Action (Reflexive)

When you use words like 'me', 'te', or 'se' with 'hospedar', the action reflects back to you. It's like saying 'I lodge myself'.

Using the wrong helper word

Mistake: “Me hospedo a un hotel.”

Correction: Me hospedo EN un hotel. In Spanish, you stay 'in' a place, not 'to' it.

Location vs. State

The most common confusion is between verbs like 'quedar'/'permanecer' (staying in a place) and 'mantenerse' (staying in a state). Always ask yourself: am I talking about *where* someone is, or *how* someone is?

Related Translations

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