pasado
/pa-SA-do/
last
As an adjective, *pasado* can mean "stale" when describing food that is no longer fresh.
pasado(Adjective)
📝 In Action
El año pasado viajé a México.
A1Last year I traveled to Mexico.
La semana pasada no tuvimos clase.
A1Last week we didn't have class.
El arroz está un poco pasado, pero se puede comer.
B1The rice is a little overcooked, but it's edible.
Ese estilo está pasado de moda.
B2That style is out of fashion.
💡 Grammar Points
Making it Match
'Pasado' is like a chameleon. It changes its ending to match the word it's describing. Use 'pasado' for masculine words (el año pasado) and 'pasada' for feminine words (la semana pasada).
Where does it go?
When talking about time, 'pasado' almost always comes right after the noun it describes, like in 'el fin de semana pasado' (last weekend).
Also a Verb Part
You'll also see 'pasado' used with the verb 'haber' to talk about things that 'have happened'. For example, 'He pasado un buen día' (I have had a good day). Here, it's part of the verb 'pasar'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Pasado vs. Último
Mistake: "Using 'último' to mean 'last year'."
Correction: 'El año pasado' means 'the year before this one' (e.g., 2023). 'El último año' means 'the final year' (e.g., the last year of college). For time periods just before now, stick with 'pasado'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Time Expressions
This is your go-to word for talking about the past. Memorize phrases like 'el mes pasado' and 'la semana pasada' as single blocks. They are incredibly useful.
As a noun, *el pasado* means "the past," referring to time that has already gone by.
📝 In Action
Es importante no olvidar el pasado.
A2It's important not to forget the past.
Ella tiene un pasado difícil, pero es muy fuerte.
B1She has a difficult past, but she is very strong.
Déjalo en el pasado y sigue adelante.
B1Leave it in the past and move on.
💡 Grammar Points
Always 'el pasado'
When used as a noun to mean 'the past', it's a masculine word. You will almost always see it with 'el' in front of it: 'el pasado'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking about History
Use 'el pasado' when you're talking about time in a general or abstract sense, like history, memories, or someone's life story.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pasado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'pasado' to mean 'last month'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'el año pasado' and 'el último año'?
Great question! 'El año pasado' refers to the calendar year right before the current one (e.g., if it's 2024, 'el año pasado' is 2023). 'El último año' means 'the final year' of something, like 'el último año de la universidad' (the final year of university). So, one is about recency, the other is about finality.
Why does 'pasado' sometimes end in '-a' (pasada)?
When 'pasado' is used as an adjective (a describing word), it has to match the noun it's describing. Spanish nouns have a gender, either masculine or feminine. So you say 'el año pasado' because 'año' is masculine, but 'la semana pasada' because 'semana' (week) is feminine.