“Quedar”, “quedarse”, “dejar”
CEFR B1 · part 1
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
“Quiero que vengas”: the subjunctiveForming the present subjunctive and using it after verbs of wanting, asking, feeling and…Giving orders, and being polite about itForming commands for “tú”, “usted”, “vosotros” and “ustedes”, positive and negative…“Creo que es” but “no creo que sea”Choosing indicative or subjunctive after verbs of thinking, saying and seeming…Three ways of saying “will”Choosing between the present, “ir a” + infinitive and the simple future, and knowing…“Pedir” or “preguntar”: one “ask”, two verbsUsing “preguntar” for a question and “pedir” for a request: “le pregunté la hora”…“Ser” or “estar”: two verbs for one “to be”Choosing between “ser” and “estar” in everyday sentences: who you are and what you are…The rule, in three lines
Quedar is to arrange to meet (quedamos a las ocho) and also what is left (quedan tres). Quedarse is to stay: me quedo en casa. Dejar is to leave a THING somewhere: dejé el libro allí — never a place, which is salir de.
The usual slip. Dropping the pronoun and saying quedo en casa for «I'm staying in», which actually sounds like you are arranging to meet there.
Why it catches you out. English packs these into “stay”, “leave”, “keep” and “arrange”, and the split does not follow your intuitions at all. The one that catches everybody: “I left the house” is “salí de casa”, and “dejé la casa” means you gave it up.