Ambos padres se quedaron en casa porque hacía frío y llovía.

Both parents stayed at home because it was cold and raining.

Breakdown of Ambos padres se quedaron en casa porque hacía frío y llovía.

• la casa: the house
• en: at
• hacer: to make
• y: and

Questions & Answers about Ambos padres se quedaron en casa porque hacía frío y llovía.

Why is it se quedaron and not just quedaron?

Because quedarse means “to stay/remain,” while quedar (without the reflexive pronoun) often means “to arrange to meet,” “to be left,” or “to suit/fit.”

• Se quedaron en casa = They stayed at home.
• Quedaron en casa = They arranged to meet at home (different meaning).

What does the se in se quedaron do?

It’s the reflexive (pronominal) pronoun required by quedarse to mean “to stay.” It agrees with the subject:

• Yo: me quedé
• Tú: te quedaste
• Él/ella/usted: se quedó
• Nosotros: nos quedamos
• Vosotros (Spain): os quedasteis
• Ellos/ustedes: se quedaron

Why are hacía and llovía in the imperfect instead of preterite (hizo, llovió)?

Imperfect describes background conditions or ongoing states in the past. Cold and rain here are the ongoing circumstances that explain the completed action (se quedaron, preterite).

• Preterite: completed event (they stayed).
• Imperfect: background (it was cold, it was raining).

Could I say estaba lloviendo or llovía? Is there a difference?