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Nos quedamos de piedra con la noticia.

Nos quedamos de piedra con la noticia.
We were stunned by the news.
From Lesson 426:Colloquial idioms: faces and reactions (quedarse de piedra, ponerse como un tomate)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Nos quedamos de piedra con la noticia.

Why is Nos quedamos used here instead of a form of estar?
The reflexive verb quedarse is used here as a verb of change. It describes a sudden change of state or a physical reaction to an event, which is perfect for expressing how the news left them feeling. If you used estábamos, it would merely describe an ongoing state without emphasizing the sudden impact.
What does the phrase de piedra literally mean?
It literally translates to 'of stone'. In Spanish, saying you stayed 'of stone' is a common idiom meaning you were completely stunned, speechless, or petrified by a sudden event or revelation.
Could I use por instead of con to say 'by the news'?
In this specific structure, it is much more natural to use con to introduce the thing that caused the reaction. While por is the standard translation for 'by' in passive sentences, linking an emotional or physical reaction to its trigger after quedarse typically requires con.
Is Nos quedamos in the present or the past tense here?
It is in the past tense here, known as the preterite, meaning 'we became' or 'we were'. For the nosotros form of most '-ar' verbs, the present and preterite forms are completely identical. You have to rely on the context of the sentence to know it happened in the past.

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