Quedar and quedarse are the same verb — except one is reflexive. That small difference creates a large split in meaning.
Quedar (non-reflexive) is primarily about arranging meetings, remaining (of something), and outcomes. Quedarse (reflexive) is about staying in a place or keeping something.
Quedar: To Arrange to Meet
The most common use of quedar in everyday speech is to make plans:
- ¿Quedamos el viernes? — Shall we meet up on Friday?
- He quedado con Ana a las ocho. — I’ve arranged to meet Ana at eight.
- Quedé con ellos en la plaza. — I agreed to meet them at the square.
This usage is extremely common in Spain and Latin America. Think of it as “to make plans with someone.”
Quedar: To Be Left / To Remain (of a thing)
When talking about how much of something is left:
- ¿Cuánto dinero queda? — How much money is left?
- No queda pan. — There’s no bread left.
- Quedan cinco minutos. — There are five minutes left.
- Solo me quedan dos opciones. — I only have two options left.
This is also used for places — how far something is from somewhere:
- ¿A cuánto queda la estación? — How far is the station?
- La tienda queda cerca. — The shop is nearby.
Quedar: To Turn Out / To Look
Used to describe how something turns out or looks:
- El pastel quedó perfecto. — The cake came out perfect.
- La foto quedó borrosa. — The photo came out blurry.
- Esa chaqueta te queda bien. — That jacket looks good on you.
- El cuadro queda raro ahí. — The painting looks odd there.
Quedarse: To Stay (in a place)
The reflexive form is used when a person stays somewhere:
- Me quedé en casa todo el día. — I stayed home all day.
- ¿Puedes quedarte un rato más? — Can you stay a little longer?
- Se quedó en el hotel. — She stayed at the hotel.
- ¡Quédate aquí! — Stay here!
Quedarse: To Keep Something
Quedarse con means to keep something or take it for yourself:
- Quédate con el cambio. — Keep the change.
- Me quedé con su número. — I kept his number.
- Se quedó con todo el dinero. — He kept all the money.
Quedarse + Adjective: To Become / End Up
Quedarse followed by an adjective describes a resulting state — often a change:
- Se quedó dormido. — He fell asleep. (ended up asleep)
- Me quedé helado. — I was frozen / stunned.
- Se quedaron callados. — They went silent.
- Nos quedamos sin gasolina. — We ran out of petrol.
Practice quedar conjugations across all tenses.
Hablito drills verb conjugations across all tenses until they become automatic — free, no account needed.
Side by Side
| Meaning | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Arrange to meet | quedar | Quedamos mañana. |
| Be left over | quedar | No queda tiempo. |
| Look / turn out | quedar | Te queda bien. |
| Stay in a place | quedarse | Me quedé en casa. |
| Keep something | quedarse con | Quédate con el libro. |
| End up in a state | quedarse + adj | Se quedó mudo. |
Quick Test
- ¿Cuántas entradas quedan? → How many tickets are left? (non-reflexive, things remaining)
- Me quedo aquí. → I’m staying here. (reflexive, person staying)
- ¿Quedamos a las siete? → Shall we meet at seven? (non-reflexive, making plans)
When the subject is a person choosing to stay or keep something, use the reflexive. For everything else, quedar non-reflexive.
Drill quedar conjugations until you can use it without thinking.
Hablito drills verb conjugations across all tenses until they become automatic — free, no account needed.