The Many Uses of the Spanish Verb "Quedar"

By Lingobi · Published on 08/11/2025

When I first started learning Spanish, the verb quedar really threw me off. It didn’t just mean one thing — it had several meanings depending on the context, from “to be located” to “to fit” to “to arrange a meeting.” The good news is, once you understand the patterns, quedar becomes a super useful and natural-sounding verb in your conversations.

Main Uses of "Quedar"

1. To be located — Often used when talking about the location of a place or object.

Example: El museo queda cerca de la estación. (The museum is located near the station.)

2. To remain / to be left over — Used when something is left after taking away a part.

Example: Solo quedan dos entradas para el concierto. (Only two tickets are left for the concert.)

3. To fit (clothing) — Describes how clothes look or fit on someone.

Example: Esa camisa te queda muy bien. (That shirt fits you very well.)

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4. To end up / result in — Used for outcomes or results of a situation.

Example: La pintura quedó perfecta después de varias capas. (The painting ended up perfect after several coats.)

5. To arrange to meet / make plans — Common in Spain to talk about setting up a meeting.

Example: Quedamos en la plaza a las seis. (We’ll meet in the square at six.)

6. To be in a certain state / situation — Expresses how someone or something is left after an event.

Example: Después de la discusión, quedó muy triste. (After the argument, he/she was left very sad.)

Table of Common Uses

Meaning Spanish Example English Translation
To be located El café queda en la esquina. The café is (located) on the corner.
To remain / be left over Solo quedan tres galletas. Only three cookies are left.
To fit (clothing) Este vestido me queda grande. This dress is too big for me.
To end up / result Todo quedó en orden. Everything ended up in order.
To arrange to meet Quedamos para cenar el viernes. We arranged to have dinner on Friday.
To be in a certain state El proyecto quedó incompleto. The project was left unfinished.

Tips for Mastering "Quedar"

  • Always look at the context — quedar changes meaning drastically depending on the sentence.
  • When referring to clothes, think of “how it suits” rather than just “to fit.”
  • In Spain, quedar for “making plans” is very common; in Latin America, you might hear encontrarse or reunirse more often.
  • For location, it’s interchangeable with estar in some cases, but quedar often implies a fixed or permanent location.

Once you get comfortable with quedar, you’ll notice it pops up in daily conversations all the time. Mastering it will make you sound far more fluent and natural in Spanish.

If you want to keep improving your Spanish, download Lingobi for more bite-sized tips and examples.

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