In English, many things are named after a particular country – but have you ever wondered what those things are called in those countries?
Translation of pasar in English:
pasar
to come past, v.
intransitive verb
1
pasar a + inf- puede pasar a recogerlo mañana — you can come and pick it up tomorrow
- pasaremos a verlos de camino a casa — we'll drop by / stop by and see them on the way home
1.1(por un lugar)
to come pastto go pastno ha pasado ni un taxi — not one taxi has come/gone by / come/gone past- pasó un coche a toda velocidad — a car shot / sped past
- ¿a qué hora pasa el lechero? — what time does the milkman come?
- no aparques aquí, que no pueden pasar otros coches — don't park here, other cars won't be able to get past
- no dejan pasar a nadie — they're not letting anyone through
- no dejes pasar esta oportunidad — don't miss this chance
- pasar de largo — to go right / straight past
- el autobús venía completo y pasó de largo — the bus was full and didn't stop / went right / straight past without stopping
- pasó de largo sin siquiera saludar — she went right / straight past without even saying hello
- pasar por algo — to go through sth
- al pasar por la aduana — when you go through customs
- prefiero no pasar por el centro — I'd rather not go through the city center
- el Tajo pasa por Aranjuez — the Tagus flows through Aranjuez
- hay un vuelo directo, no hace falta pasar por Miami — there's a direct flight so you don't have to go via Miami
- ¿este autobús pasa por el museo? — does this bus go past the museum?
- ¿el 45 pasa por aquí? — does the number 45 come this way/stop here?
- pasamos justo por delante de su casa — we went right past her house
- pasaba por aquí y se me ocurrió hacerte una visita — I was just passing by / I was in the area and I thought I'd drop in and see you
- ni me pasó por la imaginación que fuese a hacerlo — it didn't even occur to me / it didn't even cross my mind that she would do it
- el país está pasando por momentos difíciles — these are difficult times for the country
1.2(deteniéndose en un lugar)
pasar por- ¿podríamos pasar por el supermercado? — can we stop off at the supermarket?
- de camino tengo que pasar por la oficina — I have to drop in at / stop by the office on the way
- pase usted por caja — please go over to the cashier
- pasa un día por casa — why don't you drop / come by the house sometime?
1.3(caber, entrar)
no creo que pase por la puerta, es demasiado ancho — I don't think it'll go through / I don't think we'll get it through the door, it's too wide- esta camiseta no me pasa por la cabeza — I can't get this T-shirt over my head
2
2.1(transmitirse, transferirse)
la humedad ha pasado a la habitación de al lado — the damp has gone through to the room next door- el título pasa al hijo mayor — the title passes / goes to the eldest son
- la carta ha ido pasando de mano en mano — the letter has been passed around (to everyone)
2.2(comunicar)
te paso con Javier — (en otro teléfono) I'll put you through to Javier
3
(entrar)(acercándose al hablante) to come in(alejándose del hablante) to go inpasa, no te quedes en la puerta — come (on) in, don't stand there in the doorway- ¿se puede? — pase — may I come in? — yes, please do
- ¡que pase el siguiente! — next, please!
- ha llegado el señor Díaz — hágalo pasar — Mr Díaz is here — show him in please
- ¡no pasarán! — they shall not pass!
- pueden pasar al comedor — you may go through into the dining room
- ¿puedo pasar al baño? — may I use the bathroom please?
- ¿quién quiere pasar al pizarrón? — who's going to come up to the blackboard?
- (tiempo)
4
4.1(transcurrir)
ya han pasado dos horas y aún no ha vuelto — it's been two hours now and she still hasn't come back- ¡cómo pasa el tiempo! — doesn't time fly!
- por ti no pasan los años — you look as young as ever
- pasaban las horas y no llegaba — the hours went by / passed and still he didn't come
4.2(terminar)
menos mal que el invierno ya ha pasado — thank goodness winter's over- ya ha pasado lo peor — the worst is over now
- no llores, ya pasó — don't cry, it's all right now / it's all over now
5
pasar a + inf- el equipo pasa a ocupar el primer puesto — the team moves into first place
- pasó a formar parte del equipo en julio — she joined the team in July
- más tarde pasó a tratar la cuestión de los impuestos — later he went on to deal with the question of taxes
- pasamos a informar de otras noticias de interés — now, the rest of the news
5.1(cambiar de estado, actividad, tema)
pasar (de algo) a algo- en poco tiempo ha pasado del anonimato a la fama — in a very short space of time she's gone / shot from obscurity to fame
- pasó del quinto al séptimo lugar — she went / dropped from fifth to seventh place
- ahora pasa a tercera — now change into third
- pasa a la página 98 — continued on page 98
- pasando a otra cosa … — anyway, to change the subject …
5.2
Daniel ya pasa a tercero — Daniel will be starting third grade next semester US- si pasas de curso te compro una bicicleta — if you get through / pass your end-of-year exams, I'll buy you a bicycle
5.3(indicando aceptabilidad)
no está perfecto, pero puede pasar — it's not perfect, but it'll do- por esta vez (que) pase, pero que no se repita — I'll let it pass / go this time, but don't let it happen again
6
(exceder un límite)pasar de algo- no pases de 100 — don't go over 100
- fue un pequeño desacuerdo pero no pasó de eso — it was nothing more than a slight disagreement
- estuvo muy cortés conmigo pero no pasó de eso — he was very polite, but no more
- tengo que escribirle, de hoy no pasa — I must write to him today without fail
- está muy grave, no creo que pase de hoy — he's very ill, I don't think he'll last another day
- yo diría que no pasa de los 30 — I wouldn't say he was more than 30
- al principio no pasábamos de nueve empleados — there were only nine of us working there/here at the beginning
- no pasan de ser palabras vacías — they are still nothing but empty words / still only empty words
7
(ocurrir, suceder)to happendéjame que te cuente lo que pasó — let me tell you what happened- claro que me gustaría ir, lo que pasa es que estoy cansada — of course I'd like to go, only I'm really tired / it's just that I'm really tired
- lo que pasa es que el jueves no voy a estar — the thing is / the problem is I won't be here on Thursday
- iré pase lo que pase — I'm going whatever happens / come what may
- ¿qué pasó con lo del reloj? — what happened about the watch?
- ahora se dan la mano y aquí no ha pasado nada — now just shake hands and let's forget the whole thing
- en este pueblo nunca pasa nada — nothing ever happens in this town
- siempre pasa igual / lo mismo — it's always the same
- ¿qué pasa? ¿por qué estás tan serio? — what's up / what's the matter? why are you looking so serious?
- se lo dije yo ¿pasa algo? — I told him, what of it / what's it to you?
- ¡hola, Carlos! ¿qué pasa? — hi, Carlos! how's things / how's it going?
- no te hagas mala sangre, son cosas que pasan — don't get upset about it, these things happen
- + me/te/le etc ¿qué te ha pasado en el ojo? — what have you done to your eye?
- ¿qué le pasará a Ricardo que tiene tan mala cara? — I wonder what's up with / what's the matter with Ricardo? he looks terrible
- ¿qué te pasa que estás tan callado? — why are you so quiet?
- ¿qué le pasa a la lavadora que no centrifuga? — why isn't the washing machine spinning?
- no sé qué me pasa — I don't know what's wrong / what's the matter with me
- eso le pasa a cualquiera — that can happen to anybody
- el coche quedó destrozado pero a él no le pasó nada — the car was wrecked but he escaped unhurt
8
pasar de algn- paso de él — I don't give a damn what he does/what happens to him
- mis padres pasan de mí — my parents couldn't care less what I do/what happens to me
8.1(en naipes, juegos)
to passpaso, no tengo tréboles — pass / I can't go, I don't have any clubs8.2informal (rechazando una invitación, una oportunidad)
tómate otra — no, gracias, esta vez paso — have another one — no thanks, I'll skip this one / I'll pass on this round informal- ¿vas a tomar postre? — no, yo paso — are you going to have a dessert? — no, I think I'll give it a miss / no, I couldn't
- pasar de algo
- esta noche paso de salir, estoy muy cansada — I don't feel like going out tonight, I'm very tired
8.3informal (expresando indiferencia)
que se las arreglen, yo paso — they can sort it out themselves, it's not my problem / I don't want anything to do with it- pasar de algo
- pasa ampliamente de lo que diga la gente — she couldn't give a damn about / she couldn't care less what people say
- paso mucho de política — I couldn't give a damn about politics
8.4(arreglárselas)
¿compro más o podemos pasar con esto? — shall I buy some more or can we get by on / make do with this?- sin electricidad podemos pasar, pero sin agua no — we can manage / do without electricity but not without water
9
pasar por10
(ser tenido por)pasa por tonto, pero no lo es — he might look stupid, but he isn't- podrían pasar por hermanas — they could pass for sisters
- se hacía pasar por médico — he passed himself off as a doctor
- se hizo pasar por mi padre — he pretended to be my father
11
(implicar)to lie inla solución pasa por la racionalización de la industria — the solution lies in the rationalization of the industry
transitive verb
1
1.1(hacer atravesar)
pasar algo por algo- pasar la salsa por un tamiz — put the sauce through a sieve
- pasé la piña por la licuadora — I liquidized / blended the pineapple
- pasa el cordón por este agujero — thread the shoelace through this hole
1.2(por la aduana)
¿cuántas botellas de vino se puede pasar? — how many bottles of wine are you allowed to take through?- los pillaron intentando pasar armas — they were caught trying to smuggle / bring in arms
1.3(hacer recorrer)
pasé la aspiradora por el cuarto — I vacuumed the room- ven aquí, que te voy a pasar un peine — come here and let me give your hair a quick comb / let me put a comb through your hair
- pásale un trapo al piso — give the floor a quick wipe
- pasarlo primero por harina — first dip it in flour
- a esto hay que pasarle una plancha — this needs a quick iron
1.4(transcribir)
tendré que pasar la carta — I'll have to write / copy the letter out again- ¿me pasas esto a máquina? — could you type this for me?
1.5(dar la vuelta a)
(hoja/página) to turn1.6(exhibir, mostrar)
(película/anuncio) to showlas chicas que pasaron los modelos — the girls who modeled the dresses
2
2.1(cruzar, atravesar)
(frontera) to crosspasaron el río a nado — they swam across the river- esa calle la pasamos hace rato — we went past / we passed that street a while back
- ¿ya hemos pasado Flores? — have we been through Flores yet?
2.2(adelantar, sobrepasar)
to overtakea ver si podemos pasar a este camión — why don't we overtake / get past / pass this truck?- está altísimo, ya pasa a su padre — he's really tall, he's already overtaken his father
2.3(aprobar)
(examen/prueba) to pass
3
3.1(entregar, hacer llegar)
cuando termines el libro, pásaselo a Miguel — when you finish the book, pass it on to Miguel- ¿me pasas el martillo? — can you pass me the hammer?
- ¿han pasado ya la factura? — have they billed you/us yet?
- le pasó el balón a Gómez — he passed the ball to Gómez
- el padre le pasa una mensualidad — she gets a monthly allowance from her father
3.2(contagiar)
(gripe/resfriado) to givese lo pasé a toda la familia — I gave it to / passed it on to the whole family
4
4.1
(tiempo) to spendvamos a pasar las Navidades en casa — we are going to spend Christmas at home- fuimos a Toledo a pasar el día — we went to Toledo for the day
4.2(sufrir, padecer)
pasaron muchas penalidades — they went through / suffered a lot of hardship- pasé mucho miedo — I was very frightened
- ¿pasaste frío anoche? — were you cold last night?
- pasamos hambre en la posguerra — we went hungry after the war
- está pasando una mala racha — he's going through a bad patch
- no sabes las que pasé yo con ese hombre — you've no idea what I went through with that man
4.3
pasarlo / pasarla bien/mal- lo pasa muy mal con los exámenes — he gets in a real state about exams
- ¿qué tal lo pasaste en la fiesta? — did you have a good time at the party?
5
5.1informal (tolerar, admitir)
esto no te lo paso — I'm not letting you get away with this- el profesor no te deja pasar ni una — the teacher doesn't let you get away with anything
- a ese tipo no lo paso / no lo puedo pasar — I can't stand / take that guy
- yo el Roquefort no lo paso — I can't stand Roquefort
- no podía pasar aquella sopa grasienta — I couldn't stomach / eat that greasy soup
- pasar por alto — (olvidar, omitir) to overlook
5.2Latin America (engañar)
to put one over on informalse cree que me va a pasar a mí — he thinks he can put one over on me
pronominal verb
1
1.1(desaparecer)
ya se me pasó el dolor — the pain's gone / eased now- espera a que se le pase el enojo — wait until he's calmed / cooled down
- hasta que se le pase la fiebre — until her temperature goes down
1.2
sus clases se me pasan volando — her classes seem to go so quickly- se me pasaron las tres horas casi sin enterarme — the three hours flew by almost without my realizing
1.3(olvidarse)
lo siento, se me pasó totalmente — I'm sorry, I completely forgot / it completely slipped my mind- se me pasó su cumpleaños — I forgot his birthday
2
(cambiarse)pasarse al enemigo/al bando contrario — to go over to the enemy/to the other side- queremos pasarnos a la otra oficina — we want to move to the other office
3
3.1
(tomates/peras) to go bad(tomates/peras) to get overripe(carne/pescado) to go off(carne/pescado) to go bad(leche) to go off(leche) to go sourestos plátanos se están pasando — these bananas are starting to go bad / to get overripe3.2
se va a pasar el arroz — the rice is going to spoil / get overcooked- no lo dejes pasar de punto — don't let it overcook
4
4.1(ir demasiado lejos)
nos hemos pasado, el banco está más arriba — we've gone too far, the bank isn't as far down as this- nos pasamos de estación/parada — we missed / went past our station/stop
4.2informal (excederse)
to go too faresta vez te has pasado — you've gone too far this time- no te pases que no estoy para bromas — don't push your luck, I'm not in the mood for jokes
- se pasaron con los precios — the prices they charged were way over the top / way out of line
- se pasó con la sal — he put too much salt in it
- pasarse de algo
- se pasó de listo — he tried to be too clever
- te pasas de bueno — you're too kind for your own good
4.3Southern Cone informal (lucirse)
¡te pasaste! esto está riquísimo — you've excelled yourself! this is really delicious informal- se pasó con ese gol — that was a fantastic goal he scored
5
(con idea de continuidad)se pasa meses sin ver a su mujer — he doesn't see his wife for months on end- se pasa hablando por teléfono — he's always on the telephone
- me pasé toda la noche estudiando — I was up all night studying
- es capaz de pasarse el día entero sin probar bocado — he can quite easily go the whole day without having a thing to eat
- pasárselo bien/mal, etc
6informal
(ir)pásate por casa y te la presento — come round and I'll introduce you to her informal- ¿podrías pasarte por el mercado? — could you pop / nip down to the market?
7
se pasó la mano por el pelo — he ran his fingers through his hair- ni siquiera tuve tiempo de pasarme un peine — I didn't even have time to give my hair a comb

English has borrowed many of the following foreign expressions of parting, so you’ve probably encountered some of these ways to say goodbye in other languages.

Many words formed by the addition of the suffix –ster are now obsolete - which ones are due a resurgence?