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ocurrido

/oh-koo-RREE-doh/

happened

A brightly glowing yellow lightbulb floating above a simple human figure's head, signifying an idea that has just occurred.

As a past participle, ocurrido means 'happened' or 'occurred,' referring to an event that is finished.

ocurrido(past participle)

A2regular ir

happened

?

used in compound tenses

,

occurred

?

used in compound tenses

Also:

taken place

?

formal compound tenses

📝 In Action

¿Qué ha ocurrido con el proyecto?

A2

What has happened with the project?

Nunca antes le había ocurrido algo así.

B1

Something like that had never occurred to him before.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • pasado (passed)
  • sucedido (succeeded, happened)

Common Collocations

  • ha ocurrido – it has happened
  • había ocurrido – it had happened

💡 Grammar Points

Forming Compound Actions

Use 'ocurrido' with a form of the helping verb 'haber' (to have) to describe actions that finished in the past or relate to the present moment, like 'hemos ocurrido' (we have occurred).

⭐ Usage Tips

Always End in -o

Unlike when it's used as an adjective, when 'ocurrido' is used to form a compound verb tense, it always keeps the masculine singular form ending in '-o', no matter who did the action.

A discarded red and blue paper party popper resting on a patch of green grass, surrounded by colorful confetti scattered around it, indicating an event that has just taken place.

When used as an adjective, ocurrido describes an event that has 'happened' or 'taken place.'

ocurrido(adjective)

mB1

happened

?

describing an event

,

which took place

?

modifying a preceding noun

Also:

the incident

?

used as a noun phrase (lo ocurrido)

📝 In Action

Los hechos ocurridos en la frontera son preocupantes.

B1

The events that happened at the border are worrying.

Nadie sabe explicar lo ocurrido esa noche.

B2

No one knows how to explain what happened (the incident) that night.

Las circunstancias ocurridas obligaron a cambiar el plan.

B2

The circumstances that occurred forced the plan to change.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • acontecido (taken place)
  • incidente (incident)

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: ocurrido

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'ocurrido' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

ocurrir(to happen, to occur) - verb
la ocurrencia(the occurrence, the idea/witticism) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'ocurrido' the same as 'pasado'?

They are very similar! Both mean 'happened' or 'passed.' 'Ocurrido' tends to be slightly more formal or is used specifically when something 'comes to mind' (Se me ha ocurrido una idea). 'Pasado' (passed) is more general.

How do I make 'ocurrido' feminine?

When it acts like an adjective describing a feminine noun (like 'situación'), you change the '-o' to an '-a', making it 'ocurrida'. For example, 'la situación ocurrida' (the situation that happened).