Pasar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Pasar is a very common and highly versatile verb: it means to pass or go (pasar por la calle), to spend time (pasar el verano), to happen (¿qué pasa?) and to hand over (pasar la sal). Good news for learners: it is completely regular and follows the -ar verb pattern in every tense.

Indicative Tenses of Pasar

Pasar in the Present (Presente)

Habits and current facts: Cada mañana paso por delante de tu casa (Every morning I pass by your house).

Present tense rules →

Pasar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: El año pasado pasamos las vacaciones en la playa (Last year we spent the holidays at the beach).

Preterite rules →

Pasar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: ¿Qué te ha pasado en el dedo? (What has happened to your finger?)

Present perfect rules →

Pasar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño pasaba los veranos en el pueblo (As a child I used to spend the summers in the village).

Imperfect rules →

Pasar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya había pasado el autobús (When I arrived, the bus had already passed).

Past perfect rules →

Pasar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana pasaré a recogerte a las ocho (Tomorrow I will come by to pick you up at eight).

Future tense rules →

Pasar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para junio ya habrá pasado lo peor (By June the worst will have passed).

Future perfect rules →

Pasar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo pasaría más tiempo con la familia (I would spend more time with my family).

Conditional rules →

Pasar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría pasado por ti, pero no tenía coche (I would have come by for you, but I had no car).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Pasar

Present Subjunctive of Pasar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Espero que lo pases muy bien en la fiesta (I hope you have a great time at the party).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Pasar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Me alegro de que hayas pasado el examen (I am glad you have passed the exam).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Pasar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si pasaras más tiempo estudiando, aprobarías (If you spent more time studying, you would pass).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Pasar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubiera pasado antes, te habría avisado (If it had happened earlier, I would have warned you).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Pasar

Affirmative Commands of Pasar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and invitations: ¡Pasa, por favor, estás en tu casa! (Come in, please, make yourself at home!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Pasar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No pases por esa calle de noche (Don't go down that street at night).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Pasar

• Pasarlo bien / pasarlo mal - to have a good or a bad time
• ¿Qué pasa? - what's up? / what's going on?
• Pasar de algo - to not care about something, to be indifferent
• Pasar página - to turn the page, to move on
• Pasar por alto - to overlook, to leave something out