Spanish Phrase
Las nubes se van a quedar.
Meaning
The sentence means “The clouds are going to stay.” It conveys that the clouds will linger in the sky and are not expected to move away soon, often used when talking about weather or describing a lingering atmosphere.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing the weather forecast, describing a scenic sky, or metaphorically when you want to say that a mood or feeling is persisting like clouds that won’t disperse.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Lasnubessevanaquedar
Article + noun agreement
The definite article 'las' must match the feminine plural noun 'nubes' in gender and number.
Reflexive pronoun 'se'
When 'quedar' means 'to stay/remain', it is used reflexively: 'quedarse'.
Ir + a + infinitive (near future)
The construction 'van a' (from 'ir' + 'a') plus an infinitive expresses a planned or imminent future action.
Verb 'quedar' vs 'quedarse'
'Quedar' can mean 'to be left' (e.g., 'Quedan dos manzanas'), while 'quedarse' means 'to stay' or 'remain in place.'
🗨In Conversation
¿Crees que lloverá hoy?
Do you think it will rain today?
No, las nubes se van a quedar.
No, the clouds are going to stay.
✕Common Mistakes
Las nubes van a quedar.
Without the reflexive 'se', 'quedar' changes meaning to 'to be left' rather than 'to stay'.
Las nubes se van a quedarse.
The infinitive already includes the reflexive pronoun; adding another 'se' is redundant.
Las nubes se quedarán.
While grammatically correct, it loses the nuance of the near‑future 'van a' which emphasizes a planned or imminent action.
↔Alternatives
Las nubes van a permanecer.
The clouds are going to remain.
Las nubes se quedarán.
The clouds will stay.
Las nubes no se moverán.
The clouds will not move.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, weather talk often uses reflexive verbs like 'quedarse' to describe natural phenomena staying in place. While 'quedar' alone can mean 'to be left', adding 'se' changes the meaning to 'to stay'. In casual conversation, speakers may also shorten the phrase to 'las nubes se quedan' for brevity, but the full near‑future construction adds a sense of immediacy.