QUEDAR vs QUEDARSE: Spanish Grammar (B1)

The Spanish verbs QUEDAR and QUEDARSE (reflexive) have different meaning and uses, click on the link to see the full conjugation of the verb quedar.  Now, let’s take a look at them:

Quedar verb

1. To arrange to meet

Quedamos en un restaurante muy romántico  (we arranged to meet in a very romantic restaurant).

Habíamos quedado, pero no se presentó (we had arranged to meet, but he didn’t turn up).

2. To be left

¿Queda algo de la cena? (is there any dinner left?).

El incendio ha destruído la casa y sólo han quedado en pie dos muros (The fire has destroyed the house and there are only two walls left).

3. To be away from

Quedan pocos días para Navidad (Chrismas is only a few days away).

Nos quedan 25 km para llegar a Bilbao (We have still got 25 km to go to Bilbao).

4. Location (estar)

¿Por dónde queda Correos? (where’s the post office?).

El museo queda a unos kilómetros de aquí (The museum’s a few kilometres from here).

5. To come to an agreement (with “en”)

¿Quedamos en eso, entonces? (we’ll do that, then, all?).

Quedamos en vernos mañana (we arranged to meet tomorrow).

6. To suit, fit clothing, hairstyle… (like “gustar” with an Indirect Object Pronoun).

¿Qué tal me quedan estos zapatos? (do these  shoes fit me?).

Te queda un poco corto el traje (your suit is a bit too short for you)

Quedarse (with a reflexive pronoun)
A. To remain, (= permanecer en un lugar o estado)

Se quedó toda la mañana en la cama (she stayed in bed all morning).

Me quedé en casa viendo la tele  (I stayed at home watching tv).

B. To stay (with a gerund)

Me quedé estudiando hasta que cerraron la biblioteca (I stayed studying in the library until it close).

Id vosotros, yo me quedo un rato más viendo el museo (you go, I want to stay and look round the museum a bit more).

C. To keep something, take (with “con”)

Quédese con la vuelta (keep the change).

Se quedó con mi bolígrafo (he kept my pen).

Me quedo con estos zapatos  (I’ll take these shoes).

D. To run out of something

Me he quedado sin dinero (I’ve run out of money).

Finally, many idiomatic expressions like «quedarse de piedra» are created with this verb.

Quedar vs Quedarse exercises

Now time to practice the differences between quedar and quedarse with this interactive activity, remember to contact your tutor if you have any question about this topic. Don’t you have a Spanish tutor yet?

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