pasar
/pa-sar/
to pass
Illustrating 'pasar' as physical movement from one side to another, like crossing a bridge.
pasar(Verb)
📝 In Action
El tiempo pasa muy rápido cuando te diviertes.
A1Time passes very quickly when you're having fun.
Vimos pasar un tren por la ventana.
A2We saw a train pass by the window.
Para ir al banco, tienes que pasar el puente.
A2To get to the bank, you have to cross the bridge.
⭐ Usage Tips
Movement and Time
Think of 'pasar' as describing movement from one point to another. This works for physical things, like a person walking past, and for abstract things, like time moving from the past to the future.
Representing 'pasar' as something that occurs or happens suddenly.
📝 In Action
¿Qué pasa? ¿Por qué estás tan callado?
A1What's wrong? Why are you so quiet?
No te preocupes, no pasa nada.
A1Don't worry, it's nothing / nothing is wrong.
Me pasó algo increíble hoy en el trabajo.
A2Something incredible happened to me today at work.
💡 Grammar Points
When something happens *to* someone
To say something happened to someone, you often put a little word like 'me', 'te', or 'le' before 'pasar'. For example, 'Me pasó algo' means 'Something happened to me'.
Visualizing the concept of spending time together enjoying an activity.
pasar(Verb)
📝 In Action
Me encanta pasar tiempo con mis amigos.
A2I love spending time with my friends.
Pasamos todo el fin de semana en la playa.
A2We spent the whole weekend at the beach.
¿Pasaste un buen día?
B1Did you have a good day?
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Pasar' vs. 'Gastar' for Time
Mistake: "Quiero gastar tiempo contigo."
Correction: Use 'pasar' for spending time: 'Quiero pasar tiempo contigo.' The verb 'gastar' is for spending money or using up resources, not time.
Showing the physical act of passing or handing an object to another person.
📝 In Action
¿Me puedes pasar la sal, por favor?
A2Can you pass me the salt, please?
Pásame ese libro que está en la mesa.
A2Hand me that book that's on the table.
💡 Grammar Points
Who are you passing it to?
This use of 'pasar' almost always comes with a little word like 'me', 'te', 'le' to show who is receiving the item. 'Pása-me' literally means 'Pass-to-me'.
Depicting 'pasar' as the action of entering or coming inside a space.
📝 In Action
¡Hola! Por favor, pasa, estás en tu casa.
A2Hello! Please, come in, make yourself at home.
El profesor nos dijo que podíamos pasar al aula.
B1The teacher told us we could enter the classroom.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Friendly Invitation
Using 'pasa' or 'pase' is a warm and very common way to welcome someone inside. It's friendlier and more natural than just saying 'entra' (enter).
Showing the successful outcome of passing a test or level.
📝 In Action
Si estudias mucho, vas a pasar el examen.
B1If you study a lot, you are going to pass the exam.
¡Felicidades! Pasaste al siguiente nivel.
B1Congratulations! You passed to the next level.
⭐ Usage Tips
'Pasar' vs. 'Aprobar'
'Pasar' and 'aprobar' both mean 'to pass' an exam. 'Aprobar' can sound a bit more official or academic, but in everyday conversation, they are often used interchangeably.
Illustrating 'pasarse' by showing an action (adding seasoning) exceeding the boundary of the container.
pasar(Verb)
📝 In Action
Ese chiste fue de mal gusto. Creo que te pasaste.
B2That joke was in bad taste. I think you went too far.
Me pasé con la sal en la sopa; ahora está muy salada.
B2I overdid it with the salt in the soup; now it's too salty.
No dejes los plátanos afuera, se van a pasar.
B1Don't leave the bananas out, they're going to get overripe.
💡 Grammar Points
Adding '-se' Changes the Meaning
When you see 'se' attached to 'pasar' (pasarse), it often means someone or something has 'passed' a limit. It adds the idea of 'too much' or 'going beyond'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pasar
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'What's happening?'
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between '¿Qué pasa?' and '¿Qué tal?'
They can both be used as 'How's it going?' or 'What's up?'. However, '¿Qué pasa?' can also specifically mean 'What's happening?' or 'What's wrong?', especially if your tone of voice is concerned. '¿Qué tal?' is almost always just a friendly greeting.
How do I say 'I had a good time'?
You use the expression 'pasarlo bien'. For example, 'Lo pasé muy bien en la fiesta' means 'I had a very good time at the party'. To say you had a bad time, you'd use 'pasarlo mal'.
Is 'pasar' always regular?
Yes, it is! 'Pasar' is a regular -ar verb, which is great news. It follows all the standard conjugation patterns, so once you learn how to conjugate one regular -ar verb, you know how to conjugate 'pasar' in all tenses.