To describe a condition resulting from a sudden event, use the reflexive verb quedarse followed by an adjective or a past participle. It expresses that someone "ended up" or "was left" in a certain state.
| The millionaire went bankrupt in the casino. | El millonario se quedó arruinado en el casino. |
| That man ended up poor very fast. | Ese hombre se quedó pobre muy rápido. |
Physical and emotional reactions
Quedarse is often used for sudden physical and emotional reactions—like going pale, being left speechless, or freezing up.
| The woman was stunned in front of the roulette wheel. | La mujer se quedó impactada enfrente de la ruleta. |
| The salesman was left speechless upon winning. | El vendedor se quedó mudo al ganar. |
The adjective or participle must agree in gender and number with the person experiencing the change.
| The tourist went pale upon losing all the money. | El turista se quedó pálido al perder todo el dinero. |
| Upon seeing the playing cards, they went pale. | Al ver los naipes, se quedaron pálidos. |
Notice how English translations vary ("went bankrupt", "ended up poor", "was stunned", "went pale"). In Spanish, quedarse elegantly covers all these sudden aftermaths.
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