Question 1

Why use se quedó instead of just estaba here?

Accepted Answer

Se quedó comes from the reflexive verb quedarse, which normally means to stay or remain. Here, it acts as a verb of change meaning to be left in a certain state as a result of an event. While estaba mudo just describes him being speechless, se quedó mudo emphasizes that the act of winning caused this sudden reaction.

Question 2

Could I use se puso instead of se quedó to say he became speechless?

Accepted Answer

Not naturally in this context. Ponerse is used for temporary changes in mood or appearance (like se puso feliz for getting happy). Quedarse is specifically used when an external event leaves someone in a resulting state, which often involves a sudden physical or mental reaction to a shock, like going blind, deaf, or speechless (mudo).

Question 3

How does al ganar work to mean upon winning?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, combining the contraction al (a + el) with an infinitive verb (like ganar) is the standard way to say upon doing something or at the moment of doing something. It is a more concise and common way to express cuando ganó (when he won).

Question 4

Would mudo change if the salesperson was a woman?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Even though it is used with a verb of change here, mudo is still an adjective describing the subject. If it were a female salesperson, it would need to match her in gender: La vendedora se quedó muda.

El vendedor se quedó mudo al ganar.

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