Breakdown of Con ese golpe en la cabeza, ella se quedó sorda.
ella
she / her (after a preposition)
con
with / just by (+ -ing)
en
in / on / by (means of transport) / about (after pensar)
la cabeza
the head
ese
that (m.sg., also esa, esos, esas, eso)
quedarse
to become (as a result of something)
el golpe
the blow, hit
sordo
deaf
Questions & Answers about Con ese golpe en la cabeza, ella se quedó sorda.
Why use se quedó here to say 'she went' instead of another verb of change like se puso?
In Spanish, quedarse is used for a change of state that is the direct result of a specific event or action, often with a sense of loss or permanence. Because the deafness is a lasting result caused by a specific event (the blow to the head), quedarse is the perfect fit. Ponerse is used for temporary, reversible changes (like getting red or becoming sad).
Why does the sentence use la cabeza instead of su cabeza for 'her head'?
In Spanish, when talking about body parts, you almost always use the definite article (el, la, los, las) instead of a possessive adjective (su, mi, etc.) when it is clear whose body part it is. Since the context implies she got hit, it is naturally understood to be her head.
Would the word sorda change if a man had been hit on the head?
Yes. Even though it follows a verb, sorda is an adjective describing the person who experienced the change. If the subject were male (él), it would be se quedó sordo. If it were a group of women (ellas), it would be se quedaron sordas.
Why is quedó in the preterite past tense here rather than the imperfect?
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