español · B1 · verb · 5 minutes
Five lives of quedar
Let the words after quedar decide whether something is arranged, left, located, or changed.
Understand the choice
Quedar is not one English verb in disguise. With con and a time it arranges a meeting; without se it can describe location, fit, or what remains; with quedarse it presents someone or something entering or maintaining a state. The surrounding phrase is the real unit of meaning.
Core rule: Quedar changes meaning with its complement and with the reflexive pronoun se.
Notice it in context
Quedamos a las ocho, pero al final me quedé en casa.
We arranged to meet at eight, but in the end I stayed home.
Quedamos arranges the meeting, while me quedé uses the reflexive form for remaining somewhere.
El museo queda cerca de la estación.
The museum is located near the station.
Quedar describes a stable location without using estar.
Solo quedan dos entradas.
Only two tickets remain.
The thing remaining controls the plural verb quedan.
Esa chaqueta te queda muy bien.
That jacket looks very good on you.
The indirect pronoun names the wearer; the jacket controls queda.
Nuestra idea quedó en nada.
Our idea came to nothing.
Quedar en nada says that a plan produced no result.
Al oír la noticia, se quedó callada.
When she heard the news, she fell silent.
Quedarse + adjective presents a resulting state.
What to remember
- Quedar con alguien arranges a meeting; quedarse en un lugar means to stay there.
- A garment can quedarte bien or quedarte mal depending on its fit or appearance.
- When quedar means remain, the remaining thing is the grammatical subject.
Common trap: Do not add se automatically. Queda cerca describes location, but se queda cerca means someone stays nearby.