So I understand that it's "me quedo" instead of "yo quedo" because the "yo" is omitted. Just like everything else in Spanish, the verb tense gives away what the pronoun is.
Why is it then "yo me quedo" instead of just "yo quedo"?
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Because the action falls on the person who does it.– SchwaleCommented Apr 19, 2017 at 22:10
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1At first I thought that the answers to your previous question were relevant here, but now I understand that here you specifically ask about the use of "me" while in the other one is more about person used for the conjugation.– DiegoCommented Apr 20, 2017 at 1:50
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2 Answers
"Quedar" is an intransitive verb, which can also be use as pronominal (quedar(se)).
This pronominal use means roughly that their subjects are acting upon themselves (I do this action upon myself).
Hoy [nosotros] nos quedamos en casa.
"We" receive the action of staying at home.
Pronominal verbs must be conjugated with a reflexive pronoun (Yo me quedo; Nosotros nos quedamos).
Pronominal verbs fall into three major classes based on their meaning:
reflexive: Yo me lavo (a mi mismo)
idiomatic (reflexive actions per se): Yo me divierto.
reciprocal: Ellos se besan. Las niñas se peinan (one to another. This one could actually be reflexive too. Each girl does her own hair, as opposed to each girl doing each other's hair).
Compare
Yo me lavo (a mi mismo ==> reflexive)
With
Yo lavo los platos
Quedar(se) is a little bit tricky because it is an intrasitive verb, which can be used as pronominal. It does not literally say "I place myself at home", but the agent of the action is simultaneously the patient, which is what a reflexive verb implies.
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1I'd like to add to Diego's excellent answer that "yo quedo" is also possible, though less usual and different from "yo me quedo". "Yo quedo" could be used for a competition in which different participants are excluded and the speaker remains or "survives" (not by his/her own free will, but upon somebody else's decision). Commented Apr 20, 2017 at 3:00
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I agree completely and to add to @Gustavson comment there's the common sentence (Yo) Quedo atento to express that I'll be expecting something– DGaleanoCommented Apr 20, 2017 at 13:39
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@DGaleano and one more: Quedo contigo a las diez meaning "I will meet you at ten o'clock". Though it is more natural to say quedamos.– CharlieCommented Apr 20, 2017 at 13:44
quedar
means "be," while
quedarse
means "stay, remain." Linguée has some good examples (1), (2):
El museo queda lejos del hotel. The museum is a long way from the hotel.
Nos quedamos en el hotel tres días. We stayed at the hotel for three days.
Los niños no pudieron quedarse quietos justo antes del recreo. The children could not stay still just before recess.
Me quedé en casa para cuidar al gato. I remained at home to take care of the cat.
answered Apr 20, 2017 at 5:05
