quedar pendiente
verbCEFR B2
What does “quedar pendiente” mean in English?
to remain outstanding, to be left pending
to remain outstanding, to be left pending (quedar pendiente un asunto — task as subject; item not yet resolved or completed)
Example sentences
Quedaron pendientes varios puntos del orden del día que se abordarán en la próxima reunión del equipo.
Several agenda items remained outstanding and will be addressed at the team's next meeting.
El presupuesto queda pendiente de aprobación por la dirección, que se reunirá el próximo miércoles.
The budget remains pending approval by management, which will meet next Wednesday.
Sólo queda pendiente la firma del contrato; todos los demás detalles ya han sido acordados.
Only the signing of the contract remains outstanding; all other details have already been agreed.
How to use it
Quedar pendiente means 'to remain outstanding' or 'to be left pending'. It is a resultative phrase (quedar + adjective) where pendiente describes the state of an unresolved item. Pattern: (un asunto / una tarea / una decisión) queda pendiente. Common in meeting follow-ups, action-item lists, and status reports. Related: los asuntos pendientes (outstanding matters), pendiente de resolución (pending resolution). Note: tener pendiente (I have something pending) has the person as subject; quedar pendiente (the matter is outstanding) has the task as subject.
Common mistake
Subject reversal error: quedar pendiente has the task as subject ('el informe queda pendiente'); tener pendiente has the person as subject ('tengo pendiente el informe'). Both say the same thing but from different perspectives. Don't conflate: *'yo quedo pendiente de hacer el informe' is awkward — say 'tengo pendiente hacer el informe' instead.