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sobrepasar

so-bre-pa-SAR/soβɾepaˈsaɾ/

“sobrepasar” means “to exceed” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to exceed, to overtake

Also: to surpass, to go beyond
VerbB1regular ar
A colorful thermometer where the liquid has risen above the top line.
gerundsobrepasando
past Participlesobrepasado
infinitivesobrepasar

📝 In Action

No debes sobrepasar el límite de velocidad.

A2

You should not exceed the speed limit.

El coche azul sobrepasó al camión en la autopista.

B1

The blue car overtook the truck on the highway.

Tus resultados sobrepasaron nuestras expectativas.

B2

Your results surpassed our expectations.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • exceder (to exceed)
  • rebasar (to go past)
  • aventajar (to overtake / outperform)

Antonyms

  • quedarse atrás (to stay behind)
  • limitar (to limit)

Common Collocations

  • sobrepasar el límite – to exceed the limit
  • sobrepasar las expectativas – to exceed expectations
  • sobrepasar por completo – to completely surpass

to overwhelm

A small figure standing next to a massive pile of laundry that towers over them.

📝 In Action

La situación familiar me sobrepasa.

B2

The family situation is overwhelming me.

Se sintió sobrepasado por tantas responsabilidades.

B2

He felt overwhelmed by so many responsibilities.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • sentirse sobrepasado – to feel overwhelmed

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessobrepasaran
yosobrepasara
túsobrepasaras
vosotrossobrepasarais
nosotrossobrepasáramos
él/ella/ustedsobrepasara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessobrepasen
yosobrepase
túsobrepases
vosotrossobrepaséis
nosotrossobrepasemos
él/ella/ustedsobrepase

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedessobrepasaron
yosobrepasé
túsobrepasaste
vosotrossobrepasasteis
nosotrossobrepasamos
él/ella/ustedsobrepasó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedessobrepasaban
yosobrepasaba
túsobrepasabas
vosotrossobrepasabais
nosotrossobrepasábamos
él/ella/ustedsobrepasaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedessobrepasan
yosobrepaso
túsobrepasas
vosotrossobrepasáis
nosotrossobrepasamos
él/ella/ustedsobrepasa
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sobrepasar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly uses 'sobrepasar' to mean 'to exceed a limit'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
pasar(to pass) — Verb
paso(step / pace) — Noun
sobrepasado(overwhelmed / exceeded) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Formed by combining the Spanish prefix 'sobre-' (from Latin 'super', meaning above/over) and the verb 'pasar' (from Latin 'passare', meaning to step or pass).

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: surpasserEnglish: surpass

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'sobrepasar' the same as 'pasar'?

Not quite. 'Pasar' means to pass or go through. 'Sobrepasar' implies going beyond a limit, overtaking someone in a race, or being overwhelmed by something.

Can I use it for physical objects?

Yes, specifically when one moving object (like a car) passes another one to get ahead of it.

Is it a regular verb?

Yes! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar, so it is very easy to conjugate.