pasaba
/pah-SAH-bah/
was passing
Pasaba means 'was passing' when referring to continuous movement.
pasaba(Verb)
was passing
?describing ongoing movement
,used to pass
?describing a past habit
was going
?movement through a place
,went by
?repeated action
📝 In Action
Yo pasaba por esa calle todos los días.
A1I used to pass by that street every day.
¿Qué hora era? Él pasaba justo ahora.
A2What time was it? He was passing by just now.
La pelota pasaba cerca del poste, pero no entró.
A2The ball was passing close to the post, but it didn't go in.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is 'Pasaba'?
This form can mean 'I was passing' (yo), 'he/she was passing' (él/ella), or 'you were passing' (usted, the formal way).
The Imperfect Tense's Job
We use 'pasaba' to talk about actions that were ongoing, repeated habits, or general descriptions in the past, without a specific ending point.
⭐ Usage Tips
Habits in the Past
Use 'pasaba' to describe routines you had: 'Antes, siempre pasaba por la panadería' (Before, I always used to pass by the bakery).
When referring to time, pasaba translates to 'was spending'.
pasaba(Verb)
was spending
?time
,used to spend
?time/habit
was going through
?a period of time
📝 In Action
Ella pasaba las tardes leyendo en el jardín.
A2She used to spend the afternoons reading in the garden.
Yo pasaba mucho tiempo buscando un nuevo apartamento.
B1I was spending a lot of time looking for a new apartment.
Usted pasaba por un momento difícil el año pasado.
B1You (formal) were going through a difficult time last year.
Pasaba can also mean 'was happening' when describing an ongoing event or situation.
📝 In Action
Mientras yo cocinaba, no sabía lo que pasaba afuera.
B1While I was cooking, I didn't know what was happening outside.
Él no entendía qué pasaba con la computadora.
B1He didn't understand what was going on with the computer.
En la ciudad, la vida pasaba lentamente.
B2In the city, life was passing slowly.
💡 Grammar Points
Pasaba vs. Pasó
Use 'pasaba' when setting the scene (what was going on). Use 'pasó' (preterite) for a single event that happened and finished.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pasaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pasaba' to describe a repeated habit in the past?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pasaba' the same as 'he passed'?
No. 'Pasaba' means 'he/she/I *was passing*,' 'he/she/I *used to pass*,' or 'it *was happening*.' It describes an ongoing action or a repeated habit in the past. If you want to say 'He passed (one time, completely finished),' you must use the preterite tense: 'Pasó'.
How do I know if 'pasaba' means 'I' or 'he/she'?
You usually need context! Since 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/formal you) share the form 'pasaba', Spanish speakers rely on the subject being stated (Yo pasaba) or clearly understood from the conversation.