Introduction
pasará is a useful Spanish verb form for talking about the future. You may hear it when someone predicts what will happen, explains that time will go by, or says that a person or thing will pass through a place. For example, a Spanish speaker might use it to say that a bus will pass by soon or that an event will take place later. Learning this form can help you understand everyday conversations, plans, announcements, and stories.
The word comes from the common verb pasar, which has several meanings depending on the situation. The ending tells you that the action is in the future, while the subject is usually he, she, it, or the formal you. Context often helps you work out which meaning of pasar is intended. In this guide, you will learn how pasará is formed, how to pronounce it, and how to use it naturally. The examples are simple and show different meanings so you can recognize the word in more than one setting.
Meaning and Definition
Pasará is the simple future form of the Spanish verb pasar. Its most direct English translation is will pass. Depending on the sentence, it can also mean will happen, will take place, will go by, or will spend time. The exact translation changes with the subject and situation, so it is helpful to look at the words around it instead of memorizing only one English equivalent.
The form pasará usually refers to a single person, thing, or event. It can mean he will pass, she will pass, or it will pass. It can also refer to usted, the polite or formal way to say you: usted pasará means you will pass or you will go through. Spanish often leaves the subject pronoun out when the situation makes it clear. For example, a speaker may simply say pasará mañana, meaning it will happen tomorrow, without naming what it is.
The verb pasar is regular in the future tense. To form the future of many Spanish verbs, keep the full infinitive and add a future ending. For pasar, the pattern is pasaré, pasarás, pasará, pasaremos, pasaréis, and pasarán. The ending -á in pasará identifies the third-person singular form and carries an accent mark. The same form is used with usted, even though the meaning is you will.
Pasar has several related meanings. It can describe movement past a point, as in a train passing a station. It can refer to time moving forward, as in the afternoon going by. It can also mean that something occurs, as in a class or meeting taking place. In some contexts, pasar means to spend time somewhere or with someone. A sentence such as pasará la tarde en casa means that he, she, or you will spend the afternoon at home.
The verb comes from Latin passare, connected with the idea of stepping or moving onward. Its modern meanings still often suggest movement from one point, moment, or situation to another. This link can make the word easier to remember: a person passes through a place, time passes, and an event passes from being planned to actually happening. The context tells you which sense is most natural.
Usage and Example Sentences
Notice how the meaning of pasará changes slightly from one example to another. The subject is not always stated in Spanish, so the English translation may supply he, she, it, or you based on the context.
Spanish: El autobús pasará por esta calle a las nueve.
English: The bus will pass along this street at nine.
Spanish: La clase pasará al aula grande después del descanso.
English: The class will move to the large classroom after the break.
Spanish: ¿Qué pasará durante la visita al museo?
English: What will happen during the visit to the museum?
Spanish: El tiempo pasará rápido si jugamos juntos.
English: Time will go by quickly if we play together.
Spanish: Mi hermana pasará la tarde en la biblioteca.
English: My sister will spend the afternoon at the library.
Spanish: La reunión pasará a la sala del segundo piso.
English: The meeting will move to the room on the second floor.
Spanish: Todo pasará según el horario que preparamos.
English: Everything will happen according to the schedule we prepared.
Spanish: Usted pasará primero por recepción para pedir información.
English: You will stop by reception first to ask for information.
In the first example, pasará describes movement along a street. In the question about the museum, it means will happen. In the example about the afternoon, the verb works with la tarde to express spending time. These different translations are normal and do not mean that the Spanish form has changed. It is the meaning of pasar in context that changes.
Spanish also uses the future tense to make a prediction or express an expectation. Saying el tiempo pasará rápido is not just a neutral description of time; it can be a prediction that the afternoon will feel short. The future may refer to something planned, expected, or simply imagined. A specific date or time is not always needed.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
There is no single synonym that replaces pasará in every sentence. If it means something will happen, ocurrirá or sucederá may work. For example, ¿Qué ocurrirá mañana? means What will happen tomorrow? These alternatives focus on an event taking place. They do not usually describe a bus moving past a location or time going by.
If pasará describes movement, atravesará can mean will cross or will go through, while cruzará often means will cross from one side to another. A bus may pass along a street, but a person might cross a bridge. Choose the verb that describes the actual movement. Pasará is broad and flexible; the more specific verbs give a clearer picture of the path or action.
When the idea is spending time, quedarse can mean will stay, and permanecer can mean will remain. These verbs are not exact replacements. Pasará la tarde en casa focuses on how someone uses the afternoon, while se quedará en casa focuses on the person staying at home. Thinking about the main idea of the sentence helps you choose between them.
Possible opposites also depend on the meaning. If an object will pass by, quedarse might describe staying in one place instead. If an event will happen, no ocurrir means will not happen, but Spanish speakers often express the opposite simply by using the negative: no pasará, meaning it will not happen or will not pass. If time will go by, detenerse means to stop, though it is not a natural opposite in every sentence.
Do not confuse pasará with pasa. Pasa can mean passes, happens, or is happening, depending on the sentence. The future form makes the time reference clear: pasa mañana may mean it happens tomorrow in some contexts, while pasará mañana clearly presents it as something that will happen. Likewise, pasó is a past form and can mean passed or happened.
Another important contrast is pasará versus pasara. The form without an accent mark is commonly used as an imperfect subjunctive form, often after a phrase that expresses uncertainty or a condition. The accent mark in pasará signals the future tense. Since a small written mark changes the form and meaning, check for the accent whenever you read or write this word.
Choose the best translation by asking three questions: Who or what is the subject? Is the sentence about movement, time, or an event? Does the surrounding context point to a particular meaning? These questions are more reliable than translating the word in isolation. They also help you notice when a natural English translation uses a phrase such as will take place rather than the literal will pass.
Pronunciation and Accent
The pronunciation of pasará is approximately pah-sah-RAH. In IPA, it is written /pa.saˈɾa/. The symbol /ɾ/ represents the light Spanish r, made with a quick tap of the tongue just behind the upper front teeth. It is not usually rolled like the stronger Spanish rr sound.
There are three syllables: pa-sa-rá. The stress falls on the final syllable, rá, which is why the written accent appears over the á. Say the last syllable with the strongest emphasis: pah-sah-RAH. The first two syllables should remain clear, but they should not receive the main stress.
The accent mark matters because Spanish spelling usually gives a predictable guide to stress. Words ending in a vowel, n, or s normally have stress on the next-to-last syllable. Without an accent mark, a three-syllable form written pasara would normally be stressed pa-SA-ra. The mark in pasará tells the reader to stress the final syllable instead.
A common learner mistake is to stress the first syllable, as English speakers sometimes do with unfamiliar words. Another is to pronounce the final á as a separate extra syllable. Keep the word to three syllables and make the final vowel open and clear. The Spanish a sound is similar to the vowel in father, rather than the sound in cat. Listening to native speakers and repeating the word in a full sentence can help you build a natural rhythm.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
Native speakers use pasará in everyday speech for predictions, schedules, and questions about what comes next. You might hear it when someone asks what will happen at an event, tells you when a bus will pass, or describes how a plan is expected to unfold. It works in both casual conversation and more formal communication because it is an ordinary verb form, not slang.
The subject may be a person, an object, a period of time, or an event. This flexibility is one reason the verb is so common. In a conversation, people often understand the subject from an earlier sentence and leave it unstated. If someone has been talking about a lesson, for instance, pasará a la sala grande may be understood as the lesson moving to the large room. The surrounding topic supplies missing information.
In some varieties of Spanish, pasar also appears in expressions that do not translate word for word into English. For instance, ¿Qué pasará? is a natural way to ask what will happen or what comes next. The question can show curiosity or uncertainty, but its tone depends on the speaker and situation. The verb itself does not automatically imply a strong emotion.
In a more formal setting, the form can refer to usted. A teacher, guide, or receptionist might say usted pasará primero to explain that a visitor will go first. In a relaxed setting, speakers may use the same form with él, ella, or an understood subject. The verb form does not change for a formal you; the context or the word usted makes that meaning clear.
Spanish speakers may also use the simple future to make a guess about the present, but that use depends on context and is less direct for beginners to interpret. The most useful starting point is to recognize pasará as a future form and look for clues about what will pass, happen, or be spent. With more listening practice, you will become better at noticing the smaller shades of meaning.
Conclusion
Pasará is the simple future form of pasar used with he, she, it, or formal you. Depending on its context, it can mean will pass, will happen, will take place, will go by, or will spend time. Its flexibility makes it a useful word in conversations about schedules, movement, plans, and everyday events. Rather than memorizing one translation, connect the verb to its subject and the situation around it.
To pronounce the word, divide it into pa-sa-rá and stress the final syllable. The accent mark is important because it distinguishes the future form from pasara, which has a different use and stress pattern. Pay attention to that mark when reading, writing, and listening. Try making your own sentences about a class, a visit, or a plan for tomorrow. With practice, you will recognize pasará quickly and understand which meaning fits each conversation.
