pasaron
/pah-SAH-rohn/
they passed
Physical movement: They passed by the house.
pasaron(Verb)
they passed
?physical movement or going by
,they went by
?physical movement
they went through
?moving across a space
📝 In Action
Los niños pasaron la pelota por encima de la red.
A2The children passed the ball over the net.
Ellos pasaron por mi casa ayer, pero no se detuvieron.
A2They passed by my house yesterday, but they didn't stop.
💡 Grammar Points
The Simple Past (Preterite)
This form tells you that the action started and finished completely in the past, like a single closed event.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Mistake: "Using 'pasaban' when describing a single, completed event."
Correction: 'Pasaron' is for finished actions (They passed by one time). 'Pasaban' describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past (They used to pass by every day).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'por'
When referring to moving through a place, 'pasar' usually needs the preposition 'por' (through/by), e.g., 'Pasaron por el túnel'.
Duration: They spent time reading together.
📝 In Action
Pasaron tres horas esperando el tren.
B1They spent three hours waiting for the train.
Pasaron el verano aprendiendo a cocinar.
B1They spent the summer learning to cook.
💡 Grammar Points
Measuring Time
When talking about time spent, 'pasar' is often followed directly by the amount of time, e.g., 'Pasaron dos días' (Two days passed).
⭐ Usage Tips
How to Spend Time
To say how the time was spent, use the gerund (-ndo form): 'Pasaron la tarde leyendo' (They spent the afternoon reading).
Occurrence: The event happened (the rainbow appeared).
pasaron(Verb)
they happened
?events/occurrences
,they occurred
?events/occurrences
they took place
?events/occurrences
📝 In Action
Las cosas que pasaron en la reunión fueron increíbles.
B2The things that happened at the meeting were incredible.
¿Cómo pasaron exactamente los hechos?
B2How exactly did the events happen?
💡 Grammar Points
Impersonal Use
When 'pasar' means 'to happen,' it is usually used in the third person (like 'they' or 'it'), referring to the things or events themselves.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pasaron
Question 1 of 2
Which meaning of 'pasaron' is used in the sentence: 'Pasaron tres meses sin verla'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'pasaron' and 'pasaban'?
'Pasaron' is the preterite (simple past) and describes a finished action (e.g., 'They passed by the store once'). 'Pasaban' is the imperfect (ongoing past) and describes continuous, repeated, or habitual actions (e.g., 'They used to pass by the store every day').
Does 'pasaron' always mean 'they'?
Yes, 'pasaron' is always the third person plural form. This means the subject is 'ellos' (they, masculine/mixed), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all/y'all).