The verb passer means “to pass”. At first glace passer seems very basic with lots of direct translations from English. However, passer actually has a lot of meanings. Below we’ll look at the various usages of passer with example sentences.
Table of Contents
passer – to go by
- Le train passe à 9h00. The train comes by at 9 o’clock.
- Je passe devant ta maison. I go by your house.
passer chez quelqu’un – to go by somebody’s palce
- Mon voisin passe chez moi pour manger. My neighbor comes by my place to eat.
- Je passerai chez toi demain à midi. I’ll come by your place tomorrow at noon.
passer – use with time
- Le temps passe si vite en été. Time goes by so fast during the summer.
passer – to be broadcast, played
- La chanson passe à la radio. The song is played on the radio.
- Le film passe à la télé. The movie is played on TV.
passer son temps à + infinitive – to spend your time doing
- Elle passe tout son temps à se plaindre. She spends all her time complaining.
- Je passe mon temps à faire du sport. I spend my time exercising.
se passser – to happen, going on
- Qu’est-ce qui se passe ici? What’s happening/going on here?
- Ça s’est bien passé? Did it go well?
passer de…à
Passer de…à means to go from one state to another.
- Je passe souvent de rire aux larmes.
I often go from laughing to tears (crying).
passer avant vs. après
This usage would equate to “to come before everything” in English.
- Ses petits-enfants passent avant tout. Elle passe après.
Her grandchildren come before everything. She comes after.
passer sur quelque chose
Passer sur quelque chose equate to forgive or pardon.
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- Je passe sur ses défauts. Il fait de son mieux.
I forgive his shortcomings. He’s trying his hardest.
passer quelqu’un à quelqu’un
This is polite phone language.
- Ne quitttez pas. Je vous passe mon mari.
Please hold. I’ll put my husband on the line.
y passer
Y passer means to die or pass away.
- Il a eu en accident dans la maison et il a failli y passer.
He had an accident and almost died.
passer pour
Passer pour means to look like or come off as.
- Il passer pour un con (slang, vulgar)! He looks like a fool!
passer quelque chose à quelqu’un
- Passe-moi le sel, s’il te plait. Pass me the salt please.
- Un joueur passe le ballon à l’autre joueur. One player passes the ball to another player.
se faire passer pour
Se faire passer pour means to prentend to be.
- Il se fait passer pour une vedette du cinéma.
He pretends to be a movie star.
se passer de
Se passer de means to not be able to live or do without.
- Je ne peux pas me passer de cafe. J’en bois tous les matins.
I can’t live or do without coffee. I drink it every morning.
Related lessons:
- passer conjugation tables
- passer comme une lettre à la poste (expression)
- passer l’arme à gauche (expression)
- passer un savon à quelqu’un (expression)
More resources:
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Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho (near Jackson, Wyoming) and have helped hundreds of students to learn French online since 2013.
