Inklingo

How to Say "was left" in Spanish

English → Spanish

quedaba

keh-DAH-bah/keˈðaβa/

verbA1general
Use 'quedaba' when referring to a remaining quantity of something or a period of time that has not yet passed.
A transparent cookie jar standing on a table. The jar is mostly empty, containing only one single chocolate chip cookie at the bottom, illustrating the small amount that was left.

Examples

Solo quedaba un poco de agua en la botella.

Only a little water was left in the bottle.

Después de la cena, solo quedaba un trozo de pastel.

After dinner, only one piece of cake was left.

Ella siempre se quedaba callada cuando su padre hablaba.

She always remained quiet when her father spoke.

Yo quedaba muy poco tiempo para terminar el proyecto.

I had very little time remaining to finish the project. (Used with 'yo')

The Imperfect Tense

This 'aba' ending means the action was ongoing or repeated in the past. Think of it like 'was remaining' or 'used to remain,' describing a situation without saying exactly when it ended.

Yo vs. Él/Ella/Usted

In the imperfect tense, 'quedaba' is used for both 'I' (yo) and 'he/she/you formal' (él/ella/usted). Context is key to knowing who is doing the action.

Using Preterite for Ongoing States

Mistake: “Quedó poco tiempo. (Used 'quedó', completed action)”

Correction: Quedaba poco tiempo. (Use 'quedaba' to show the continuous state of having little time.)

quedó

keh-DOH/keˈðo/

verbA1general
Use 'quedó' to describe a completed action of someone remaining in a location or a final state of something.
A small, friendly dog sitting patiently on a red cushion in an otherwise empty living room.

Examples

El libro quedó sobre la mesa.

The book was left on the table.

Ella se quedó en la oficina hasta tarde.

She stayed in the office until late.

Solo quedó un trozo de pastel en el plato.

Only one piece of cake was left on the plate.

El perro se quedó dormido en el sofá.

The dog remained asleep on the sofa.

Role of 'Se' with Quedó

When you use 'se quedó' (reflexive), it emphasizes the action of staying somewhere intentionally or getting stuck. Without 'se' ('quedó'), it often means 'was left' or 'resulted'.

Simple Past (Preterite)

The 'quedó' form tells you about a single action that finished completely in the past (e.g., Yesterday, she stayed at the office).

Confusing Time

Mistake: “Usando 'quedaba' cuando quiero decir que la acción se terminó: 'Ella quedaba en casa anoche.'”

Correction: Use 'quedó' for finished actions: 'Ella quedó en casa anoche.' (She stayed home last night). Use 'quedaba' for continuous past states or habits.

faltaba

fahl-TAH-bah/falˈtaβa/

verbB1general
Use 'faltaba' specifically when talking about time remaining until a future event or deadline.
A traveler standing very close to the door of a welcoming cottage, illustrating that only a small distance remained until arrival.

Examples

Faltaba poco para que abrieran la tienda.

Little time was left before the store opened.

Faltaba solo una hora para que terminara el plazo.

Only one hour remained until the deadline ended.

Cuando llegamos a la cima, nos dimos cuenta de que faltaba poco para el amanecer.

When we reached the summit, we realized that little time was left until dawn.

Measuring Past Time

This usage of 'faltaba' tells you the state of the clock or calendar in the past—how much time was still needed or left before an event.

quedara

/keh-DAH-rah//keˈðaɾa/

verbA2general
Use 'quedara' in hypothetical or subjunctive contexts, often referring to the possibility of something or someone remaining.
A single red apple resting on a simple wooden table in an otherwise empty, peaceful room.

Examples

No creía que nos quedara tiempo suficiente.

I didn't think we would have enough time left.

Esperábamos que se quedara a cenar, pero tuvo que irse.

We hoped that he would stay for dinner, but he had to leave.

Si no quedara más pastel, ¿qué comeríamos de postre?

If there were no cake left, what would we eat for dessert?

Necesitaba que el coche quedara limpio antes del viaje.

I needed the car to remain clean before the trip.

Subjunctive for Past Wishes

The form 'quedara' is used after verbs of wishing or hoping in the past: 'Deseé que quedara' (I wished that it would remain).

Hypothetical Situations

Use 'quedara' in 'if' clauses (si clauses) to talk about unlikely or contrary-to-fact situations in the past or present: 'Si él quedara...' (If he were to stay...).

Confusing Subjunctive with Indicative

Mistake: “Era necesario que él quedaba en casa.”

Correction: Era necesario que él quedara en casa. (When expressing necessity or obligation, Spanish uses the special verb form, 'quedara', not the simple past 'quedaba'.)

Quería vs. Quedaba for 'Left'

The most common confusion is between 'quedaba' (imperfect) and 'quedó' (preterite). Use 'quedaba' for ongoing states of remaining or descriptions in the past, and 'quedó' for a completed action or a final result of being left.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.