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"Bien" is an adverb which is often translated as "well", and "quedar" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to be left". Learn more about the difference between "bien" and "quedar" below.
bien, el bien(
byehn
)An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
2. (properly)
a. well
Si la carne molida no se cocina bien, las bacterias no mueren.If the ground meat is not cooked well, the bacteria don't die.
3. (all right)
4. (extremely)
a. very
Me di un paseo bien largo para despejar mi mente.I went for a very long walk to clear my mind.
a. well
Cuando viajé a España, me comentaban que sabía hablar bien el español.When I traveled to Spain, people told me I could speak Spanish well.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Se hace el tonto pero bien sabía que no nos había pagado.He's pretending he didn't, but he knew full well he hadn't paid us.
Bien podías habérselo dicho.You really could have told him.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
8. (benefit)
a. good
Está dispuesto a sacrificar su vida por el bien de la nación.He is willing to sacrifice his own life for the good of the nation.
9. (possession)
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., The cat and the dog slept.).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Bien nos vamos, bien no, pero hay que decidirlo ya.We either go or we don't, but we need to decide.
Tenemos que mudarnos, bien este año, bien el que viene.We have to move, whether it's this year or next.
quedar(
keh
-
dahr
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
c. to be left over
Quedó bastante pollo para alimentar a los perros.There was enough chicken left over to feed to the dogs.
d. to have left
No nos quedan huevos. Hay que comprar más.We don't have any eggs left. We need to buy more.
c. to arrange to meet
He quedado con mi abogado a las 10 am porque quiero pedirle consejo sobre el tema.I've arranged to meet my lawyer at 10 am because I want to ask him for advice on the matter.
4. (to look)
5. (to wait)
a. to stay
No me pidas que quede si no vas a volver.Don't ask me to stay if you are not coming back.
6. (to end up)
a. to come in
Me dio una punzada y quedé última en la carrera de natación.I got a stitch and came in last in the swimming race.
b. to finish
Quedamos terceros. Por lo menos nos llevamos una medalla.We finished third. At least we got a medal.
8. (to appear)
a. to look
Si no queremos quedar como idiotas, es mejor que lo pensemos bien.If we don't want to look stupid, we'd better think about it carefully.
quedarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to stay
Nuestros primos se quedaron con nosotros durante la Navidad.Our cousins stayed with us over Christmas.
10. (to retain)
11. (to recall)
a. to remember
No se me queda la lección después de haberla aprendido.I can't remember the lesson after I learned it.
a. to go
Mi abuelo se quedó ciego cuando tenía 80 y pico años.My granddad went blind when he was 80 something.
13. (colloquial) (to trick) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
