pasó
“pasó” means “happened” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
happened
Also: occurred
📝 In Action
¿Qué pasó?
A1What happened?
Algo muy extraño pasó anoche en mi calle.
A2Something very strange happened last night on my street.
No sé qué pasó, pero de repente todos empezaron a correr.
B1I don't know what happened, but suddenly everyone started running.
passed
Also: went by
📝 In Action
El tiempo pasó muy rápido durante las vacaciones.
A2The time passed very quickly during the vacation.
El autobús ya pasó, tenemos que esperar el siguiente.
A2The bus already passed, we have to wait for the next one.
Pasó por mi casa pero no se detuvo.
B1He passed by my house but didn't stop.
spent
📝 In Action
Ella pasó el fin de semana en las montañas.
B1She spent the weekend in the mountains.
Pasó toda la tarde leyendo un libro.
B1He spent the whole afternoon reading a book.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "pasó" in Spanish:
happened→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pasó
Question 1 of 2
In the sentence 'Mi amigo pasó el examen de conducir', what does 'pasó' mean?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
'Pasó' comes from the verb 'pasar', which traces back to the Vulgar Latin word *passare*, meaning 'to step' or 'to walk'. This is related to the Latin word 'passus', which means 'a step'. You can see the family resemblance in English words like 'pass', 'passage', and 'pace'.
First recorded: 10th century (for 'pasar')
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'pasó' and 'pasaba'?
Think of it like a movie. 'Pasó' is for the main actions that move the story forward, like 'The phone rang' ('El teléfono sonó'). 'Pasaba' is for the background description, like 'It was raining' ('Llovía'). So, 'El accidente pasó' means the accident happened (a single, completed event), while 'El tiempo pasaba lento' means time was passing slowly (an ongoing description).
Is 'pasó' only for 'he' and 'she'?
No, it's also for 'usted' (the formal 'you'). So 'Usted pasó por aquí' means 'You (formal) passed by here'. It covers he, she, it, and the formal you.