Quedar and quedar-se divide a semantic field that English expresses with remain, stay, be left, arrange to meet, fit, and turn out. Plain quedar commonly means “arrange/agree,” “be left,” or “look/fit,” while pronominal quedar-se means “stay” or “keep.” The pronoun can therefore change the construction, not merely reflect the subject.
The verb is a regular first-conjugation verb. Its principal parts are quedo – quedava – quedí – quedaré – quedi – quedat. There is no incoative extension and no stem irregularity. What learners must memorize is which meanings require se, which take an indirect-object clitic, and which preposition belongs to each pattern.
The placement rules that produce m'he quedat but quedar-me are developed under pronominal verbs.
Nonfinite forms
| Form | Catalan | Pronominal form |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive | quedar | quedar-se |
| Perfect infinitive | haver quedat | haver-se quedat |
| Gerund | quedant | quedant-se |
| Perfect gerund | havent quedat | havent-se quedat |
| Participle | quedat; quedada, quedats, quedades | — |
Compound forms use haver + quedat: han quedat, s'han quedat. The participle does not agree in the perfect. Pronominal clitics precede a finite auxiliary (m'he quedat) but attach to an infinitive or gerund (quedar-me, quedant-nos).
Indicative: simple and periphrastic tenses
| Tense | jo | tu | ell / ella / vostè | nosaltres | vosaltres | ells / elles / vostès |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present | quedo | quedes | queda | quedem | quedeu | queden |
| Imperfect | quedava | quedaves | quedava | quedàvem | quedàveu | quedaven |
| Periphrastic past | vaig quedar | vas quedar | va quedar | vam quedar | vau quedar | van quedar |
| Simple past | quedí | quedares | quedà | quedàrem | quedàreu | quedaren |
| Future | quedaré | quedaràs | quedarà | quedarem | quedareu | quedaran |
| Conditional | quedaria | quedaries | quedaria | quedaríem | quedaríeu | quedarien |
Everyday completed narration uses vaig quedar. The simple past is generally (formal/literary) in Central Catalan, with continued regional spoken use. Keep the accents distinct: queda (present/command), quedà (simple past), quedarà (future). The forms quedem/quedeu are shared by the present indicative, present subjunctive, and first- or second-person plural imperative; context identifies their function.
Quedem davant del cinema a dos quarts de vuit?
Shall we meet in front of the cinema at half past seven?
Quan plovia, ens quedàvem a la biblioteca fins que tancaven.
When it rained, we stayed in the library until closing time.
Ahir vaig quedar amb la Laia per revisar el projecte.
Yesterday I met Laia to review the project.
Només quedaren dempeus les parets mestres.
Only the load-bearing walls remained standing. (formal/literary)
Indicative compound tenses
| Tense | jo | tu | ell / ella / vostè | nosaltres | vosaltres | ells / elles / vostès |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present perfect | he quedat | has quedat | ha quedat | hem quedat | heu quedat | han quedat |
| Pluperfect | havia quedat | havies quedat | havia quedat | havíem quedat | havíeu quedat | havien quedat |
| Past anterior | haguí quedat | hagueres quedat | hagué quedat | haguérem quedat | haguéreu quedat | hagueren quedat |
| Future perfect | hauré quedat | hauràs quedat | haurà quedat | haurem quedat | haureu quedat | hauran quedat |
| Conditional perfect | hauria quedat | hauries quedat | hauria quedat | hauríem quedat | hauríeu quedat | haurien quedat |
The past anterior is (formal/literary). Its periphrastic equivalent is vaig haver quedat, vas haver quedat, va haver quedat, vam haver quedat, vau haver quedat, van haver quedat. When quedar-se is intended, add the clitic before the finite auxiliary: m'havia quedat, not after the participle.
Hem quedat que demà en parlarem amb la directora.
We have agreed that tomorrow we will discuss it with the head teacher.
Sense l'últim retoc, el cartell hauria quedat massa fosc.
Without the final adjustment, the poster would have turned out too dark.
Subjunctive and imperative
| Tense | jo | tu | ell / ella / vostè | nosaltres | vosaltres | ells / elles / vostès |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present subjunctive | quedi | quedis | quedi | quedem | quedeu | quedin |
| Imperfect subjunctive | quedés | quedessis | quedés | quedéssim | quedéssiu | quedessin |
| Perfect subjunctive | hagi quedat | hagis quedat | hagi quedat | hàgim quedat | hàgiu quedat | hagin quedat |
| Pluperfect subjunctive | hagués quedat | haguessis quedat | hagués quedat | haguéssim quedat | haguéssiu quedat | haguessin quedat |
| Restricted periphrastic series | jo | tu | ell / ella / vostè | nosaltres | vosaltres | ells / elles / vostès |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicative past anterior | vaig haver quedat | vas haver quedat | va haver quedat | vam haver quedat | vau haver quedat | van haver quedat |
| Subjunctive past | vagi quedar | vagis quedar | vagi quedar | vàgim quedar | vàgiu quedar | vagin quedar |
| Subjunctive past anterior | vagi haver quedat | vagis haver quedat | vagi haver quedat | vàgim haver quedat | vàgiu haver quedat | vagin haver quedat |
| Addressee | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| tu | queda / queda't | no quedis / no et quedis |
| vostè | quedi / quedi's | no quedi / no es quedi |
| nosaltres | quedem / quedem-nos | no quedem / no ens quedem |
| vosaltres | quedeu / quedeu-vos | no quedeu / no us quedeu |
| vostès | quedin / quedin-se | no quedin / no es quedin |
These periphrastic subjunctives are (regional/formal). The ordinary simple and compound subjunctives are the productive conversational choices.
Prefereixo que et quedis aquí fins que torni.
I'd rather you stayed here until I come back.
Si quedéssim més d'hora, podríem sopar abans de la funció.
If we met earlier, we could have dinner before the performance.
Queda't l'abric; a mi em va petit.
Keep the coat; it's too small for me.
Plain and pronominal constructions
Use quedar amb algú to arrange to meet or meet by arrangement. Use quedar que + clause to agree that something will happen. A result can quedar bé/mal, clar, pendent: no reflexive pronoun is needed. Clothes and colors can quedar bé a algú, with an indirect-object clitic: et queda molt bé.
Use quedar-se for staying in a place, remaining in a state, or keeping something: quedar-se a casa, quedar-se adormit, quedar-se el llibre. By contrast, the “remaining quantity” construction is nonpronominal and patterns like agradar: em queden dues entrades. The remaining things are the grammatical subject, so the verb agrees with them.
—Quantes entrades et queden? —Me'n queden dues, però una ja està reservada.
—How many tickets do you have left? —I have two left, but one is already reserved.
Aquest blau et queda molt bé amb els cabells foscos.
This blue suits you very well with your dark hair.
Ens vam quedar sense aigua a mig camí.
We ran out of water halfway there.
El tema queda pendent fins a la reunió de dilluns.
The matter remains pending until Monday's meeting.
Characteristic collocations include quedar bé/mal, quedar clar, quedar pendent, quedar-se curt “fall short,” quedar-se de pedra “be stunned” (informal), and quedar-se sense “run out of / be left without.”
(Regional: Valencian) present subjunctive quede, quedes... and imperfect quedara... are standard. (Regional: Balearic) has present qued, quedes, queda, quedam, quedau, queden and imperfect subjunctive quedàs...; (regional: Northern) first-person present quedi is also recognized. Some speakers prefer restar in formal or mathematical contexts, but it is not a universal substitute for everyday quedar.
Common Mistakes
❌ He quedat a casa perquè plovia.
Incorrect for ‘I stayed home’—that meaning normally requires quedar-se.
✅ M'he quedat al pis perquè esperava el tècnic.
I stayed at the flat because I was waiting for the technician.
❌ Ens queden una entrada.
Incorrect—the verb agrees with the remaining subject, una entrada.
✅ Ens queda una entrada.
We have one ticket left.
❌ He quedat a la Marta a les set.
Incorrect—arranging to meet someone uses quedar amb.
✅ He quedat amb la Marta a les set.
I've arranged to meet Marta at seven.
❌ Jo quedeixo sempre amb els companys els divendres.
Incorrect—quedar is regular and never takes the incoative extension.
✅ Jo quedo sempre amb els companys els divendres.
I always meet my colleagues on Fridays.
❌ Espero que em quedo una estona més.
Incorrect—the hoped-for stay requires the subjunctive, not indicative em quedo.
✅ Espero quedar-me una estona més.
I hope to stay a little longer.
Key Takeaways
The morphology is regular, but the pronoun is meaningful. Use plain quedar for arrangements, results, fit, and remaining quantities; use quedar-se for staying, entering a resulting state, or keeping something. Preserve amb in quedar amb algú, and make the verb agree with what remains in em queda una hora / em queden dues hores.
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