Spanish Conversation · Level 17
89 words
Spanish word
pasar
Pronunciation
IPA/paˈsaɾ/
Meaning
- verbhappen
Example
¿Qué pasó anoche?
What happened last night?
More examples
Anoche no pasó nada importante.
Nothing important happened last night.
Core concept
A situation unfolding along a timeline.
Common phrases
qué pasa
What's happening
algo pasa
Something's happening
no pasó nada
Nothing happened
Similar words
ocurrir: Occurs in neutral or formal descriptions of events.
suceder: Occurs as a specific event in a sequence or narrative.
acontecer: Occurs often in literary or historical narration.
producirse: Arises for phenomena or processes that come into being.
Definition in Spanish
Indicar que una situación o cambio se manifiesta o se desarrolla a lo largo del tiempo.
Word origin
From Late Latin passāre 'to pass', a verb for passing movement whose sense in Spanish widened to indicate that something comes to pass or becomes evident over time.
Usage tips
- 'No pasa nada' is the everyday way to say 'nothing's happening' or reassure someone, and '¿Qué pasó?' is the common casual 'what happened?', while ocurrir and suceder fit formal contexts.