pasó
/paso/from spelling rules
The English word 'happened' is translated into Spanish as pasó.
pasó is used to indicate that an event took place. In more formal contexts, you can use ocurrió, sucedió or the even more formal aconteció.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase se armó is used in certain Latin American countries, especially Mexico, to convey that something happened or 'went down.'
How does it change in a sentence?
pasó is the third-person singular preterite indicative of the verb pasar.
How do you pronounce it?
/paso/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may confuse pasó (happened) with paso (I pass/step). The accent on the final vowel is crucial to ensure you are using the past tense meaning.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase pasó a mejor vida is a common euphemism used to say that someone 'passed away' or died.
- In some regions, saying se armó to mean something 'happened' carries a heavy connotation of chaos. It usually implies that a fight, a loud party, or a major commotion has just broken out.
- The phrase no pasa nada is a common way to comfort someone after a mistake or accident. Although it literally translates to 'nothing happens', it is used to mean 'it is okay' or 'don't worry'.
Examples in context
- No sé qué pasó.I don't know what happened.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of knowledge about an event using pasó.Tatoeba #2339308 by marcelostockle, translation #1887246 by CK
- No vi qué pasó.I didn't see what happened.This sentence is useful for expressing that an event was not witnessed using pasó.Tatoeba #3717405 by Seael, translation #2275929 by CK
- ¿Qué te pasó ayer?What happened to you yesterday?This sentence is useful for asking about a past event affecting someone using pasó.Tatoeba #627312 by Shishir, translation #244564 by CK
- ¿Qué ocurrió durante la reunión?What happened during the meeting?
- El suceso que aconteció ayer fue sorprendenteThe event that happened yesterday was surprising.
- El accidente sucedió en la autopistaThe accident happened on the highway.
- ¿Qué pasó ayer en la fiesta?What happened yesterday at the party?
- ¿Ocurrió algo interesante durante tus vacaciones?Did anything interesting happen during your vacation?
- ¿Viste lo que se armó anoche en la plaza?Did you see what happened last night at the square?
- Recuerda siempre lo que ocurrió en el pasado para forjar un mejor futuro.Always remember what happened in the past to build a better future.
- 309 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are talking about a recent car incident.
- SofíaDaniel, ¿qué pasó con tu coche?Daniel, what happened to your car?
- DanielMe chocaron en el estacionamiento.Someone hit me in the parking lot.
- Sofía¡Qué mal! ¿Y cómo pasó?That's bad! And how did it happen?
- DanielNo lo vi venir.I didn't see it coming.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
