sucedió
/su-seh-dee-OH/
it happened
This visualizes 'it happened' or 'it occurred' (referring to a specific, completed event in the past).
sucedió(Verb)
it happened
?General events, accidents, stories
occurred
?Slightly more formal, like in a news report
,took place
?Describing where or when an event was
📝 In Action
¿Qué sucedió?
A2What happened?
El accidente sucedió en la esquina.
B1The accident happened on the corner.
Todo sucedió muy rápido.
B1Everything happened very quickly.
💡 Grammar Points
A Specific Past Action
'Sucedió' is used for events that happened at a specific point in the past and are now finished. It's the 'he/she/it' form. For example, 'The party happened yesterday,' not 'The party was happening.'
The Full Verb: 'suceder'
This word comes from the verb 'suceder'. 'Sucedió' is just one of its past tense forms. You can see all the other forms in the conjugation table to talk about who did the action and when.
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Sucedió' vs. 'Pasó'
Mistake: "Using 'sucedió' in very casual conversation when 'pasó' is more common."
Correction: Both can mean 'it happened', but '¿Qué pasó?' is more like 'What's up?' or 'What went on?'. '¿Qué sucedió?' is a bit more formal or serious, like 'What occurred?'
⭐ Usage Tips
Storytelling Verb
'Sucedió' is a great word for telling stories. It sets the scene and lets the listener know you're talking about a specific event in the past.
In formal contexts, 'sucedió' means 'succeeded' or 'followed' (referring to one person taking a position after another).
sucedió(Verb)
succeeded
?Inheriting a title or position
followed
?Coming after something in a sequence
📝 In Action
El rey Felipe VI sucedió a su padre, Juan Carlos I.
B2King Felipe VI succeeded his father, Juan Carlos I.
Al caos inicial sucedió un período de orden.
C1A period of order followed the initial chaos.
💡 Grammar Points
Use 'a' for People
When you say someone succeeded another person, you need to add the little word 'a' before the person who was succeeded. For example, 'El príncipe sucedió a la reina' (The prince succeeded the queen).
⭐ Usage Tips
Think 'Succession'
This meaning is directly related to the English word 'succession'. You'll see it most often when reading about history, royalty, or changes in leadership.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: sucedió
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'sucedió' to mean 'it happened'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the real difference between 'sucedió' and 'pasó'?
They are very similar and often interchangeable for 'it happened'. 'Pasó' is much more common in everyday, casual speech ('¿Qué pasó?'). 'Sucedió' sounds a little more formal or serious, and you'll see it more in writing, news reports, or when telling a more dramatic story. Think of 'pasó' as 'what went on?' and 'sucedió' as 'what occurred?'.
Is 'sucedió' only for bad things, like accidents?
Not at all! It's completely neutral. You can use it for anything that happened, good or bad. For example, 'Sucedió un milagro' (A miracle happened) or 'Lo mejor que me sucedió fue conocerte' (The best thing that happened to me was meeting you).