What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive pronoun me (myself), the future tense of quedarse (to stay/remain) and más tiempo (more time).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, one might use alargar mi estancia to mean extending your stay.
How does it change in a sentence?
In spoken Spanish, the present tense me quedo is frequently used instead of the future me quedaré to express a certain intention or a planned future action. Additionally, replacing más tiempo with un poco más is a very common and natural way to say "a little longer" in Spanish, resulting in me quedaré un poco más.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget the reflexive pronoun me and mistakenly say quedaré instead of me quedaré. Without the me, the verb quedar usually means "to be left over" or "to remain" in a different sense.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish dialects, saying me quedo is used to indicate that one has decided to buy an item in a shop.
- In Spanish, the verb quedar can mean 'to agree on a meeting place' or 'to make plans', which is entirely different from 'staying'.
- The word tiempo can refer to both the passage of time and the weather, depending on the context of the conversation.
Examples in context
- Le informo que voy a quedarme más tiempo para terminar el proyecto.I inform you that I will stay longer to finish the project.
- No te preocupes, me voy a quedar más tiempo para disfrutar de tus festividades.Don't worry, I'm going to stay longer to enjoy your festivities.
- Me quedaré más tiempo en la oficina hoy.I will stay longer at the office today.
- Si no llueve, me quedaré más tiempo en el parque.If it doesn't rain, I will stay longer in the park.
- Me quedaré más tiempo para terminar este libro.I will stay longer to finish this book.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking at a coffee shop about their plans.
- Mateo¿Quieres irnos ya, Elena?Do you want to leave now, Elena?
- ElenaNo, me quedaré más tiempo aquí.No, I will stay longer here.
- MateoEstá bien, yo te espero un poco.Alright, I will wait for you a little bit.
- ElenaGracias, Mateo, eres muy amable.Thanks, Mateo, you are very kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
