ocurrirá
“ocurrirá” means “it will happen” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
it will happen, it will occur
Also: it will take place
📝 In Action
La reunión ocurrirá a las cinco, no antes.
A2The meeting will happen at five, not before.
Nadie sabe qué ocurrirá en el futuro con la economía.
B1Nobody knows what will happen in the future with the economy.
Si no tomas precauciones, ocurrirá un accidente.
B2If you don't take precautions, an accident will occur.
it will occur (to someone), it will come to mind
Also: it will dawn on (someone)
📝 In Action
Quizás se le ocurrirá una solución antes de la noche.
B1Perhaps a solution will occur to him before tonight.
Si piensas mucho, te ocurrirá una idea.
B2If you think hard, an idea will come to you.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ocurrirá
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'ocurrirá' in the sense of 'a thought coming to mind'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'ocurrir' comes from the Latin verb *occurrere*, which meant 'to run to meet' or 'to meet, encounter.' Over time, its meaning shifted from physical meeting to abstract meeting (an event meeting a time, or an idea meeting the mind).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'ocurrirá' the same as 'pasará'?
They are very similar! Both mean 'it will happen.' 'Ocurrirá' is slightly more formal and emphasizes the event itself, while 'pasará' (from 'pasar') is more common in casual speech, meaning 'it will pass' or 'it will happen.'
Why does 'ocurrirá' sometimes include 'se' and sometimes not?
When it means 'to happen' (like a storm), it stands alone. When it means 'to come to mind' (like an idea), it usually needs the extra pronoun (like 'se le' or 'se me') to show who is having the thought.