Vocabulary
Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Moving Forward
The short answer
Use pasar por in contexts such as visiting or dropping by a place, collecting an item or person, and passing through an opening or checkpoint. Use pasar a in contexts such as crossing into an inner room, coming to the table for a meal, or proceeding to a subsequent activity with an infinitive.
Key points
- Choose pasar por when making a stop along a journey.
- Choose pasar a when crossing into an inner room or transitioning forward to the next task.
- Pair pasar por with places you visit or stop by, things or people you collect, and passages you move through.
This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.
Stage 1 of 5
Understand
What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.
Examples
Paso por la biblioteca para devolver un libro.
I stop by the library to return a book.
Why it works: The library is an errand stop along the speaker's path.
2 more examples
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Los invitados pasan al comedor para cenar.
The guests go into the dining room to have dinner.
The guests step forward into the dining room.
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Después del descanso, pasamos a escribir las notas.
After the break, we move on to writing the notes.
The group transitions forward to the next activity using an infinitive.
Read the full guide
Stopping by places along your route with pasar por
The problem: Learners often wonder how to say they will make a quick stop at a shop or station while traveling.
When you visit a shop, office, or friend's house, use pasar por followed by the place. While dropping by along a route is a common everyday situation, pasar por simply describes stopping by or visiting a location, without requiring an onward journey.
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Hoy paso por la farmacia.
Today I am stopping by the pharmacy.
Why it works: Here pasar por indicates a visit to the pharmacy.
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Nosotros pasamos por el banco.
We are stopping by the bank.
Why it works: The bank is a stop to run an errand.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that describes stopping by the bakery as a waypoint along your route before heading home.
Answer: Paso por la panadería.
Show the answer
Answer: Paso por la panadería.
Use pasar por to indicate dropping by a shop or location along your route.
Entering inner spaces and offices with pasar a
The problem: Learners may not know how to express stepping into a consultation room or private office when called.
When you move from an entrance or waiting area into an inner room, office, or dining area, use pasar a. The preposition a marks forward movement across a boundary into that specific space.
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Ustedes pasan a la sala.
You go through to the living room.
Why it works: This describes stepping from an entryway forward into the main living room.
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El paciente pasa a la consulta.
The patient goes into the consultation room.
Why it works: The patient advances from the waiting room into the doctor's office.
You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Transitioning and Learn Spanish: Buscar vs. Encontrar for Looking For and Finding.
Your turn
Choose the option that describes moving forward from the waiting area into the private office.
Answer: El cliente pasa al despacho.
Show the answer
Answer: El cliente pasa al despacho.
Use pasar a (contracted to al with masculine nouns) to describe moving forward into an inner room or office.
Passing through doors, gates, and checkpoints with pasar por
The problem: Learners often wonder how to describe moving through an entrance, door, or security gate.
When you travel through an opening such as a door, gate, or entrance, or move through an inspection checkpoint, use pasar por. The preposition por marks the physical passage or barrier you move through to get to the other side.
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Los estudiantes pasan por la puerta principal.
The students go through the main door.
Why it works: Here pasar por marks the doorway the students pass through.
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Todos los pasajeros pasan por el control.
All passengers go through the checkpoint.
Why it works: The security checkpoint is the station travelers pass through.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that describes walking through the security entrance.
Answer: Pasa por la entrada de seguridad.
Show the answer
Answer: Pasa por la entrada de seguridad.
Use pasar por to describe traveling through an entrance, doorway, or checkpoint.
Transitioning to a new action with pasar a followed by an infinitive
The problem: Learners may not know how to express proceeding to the next agenda item or activity.
When you finish one activity and proceed directly to another step, pair pasar a with an infinitive verb. This structure signals an active transition to a subsequent task.
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Ahora pasamos a revisar el texto.
Now we move on to reviewing the text.
Why it works: The team transitions from the previous discussion to the next action of reviewing.
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Luego paso a preparar la comida.
Afterward I move on to preparing the meal.
Why it works: This marks a deliberate progression to the next planned chore.
Your turn
Choose the option that describes moving on to inspect the documents.
Answer: Pasamos a revisar los documentos.
Show the answer
Answer: Pasamos a revisar los documentos.
Use pasar a followed by an infinitive to express proceeding to a next task.
Picking up items and people on the way with pasar por
The problem: Learners often wonder how to say they are stopping by to pick up an object or collect someone on their route.
Beyond stopping at a building, use pasar por followed directly by an item or person to express picking them up. In this everyday pattern, por introduces the object you collect or the person you pick up on your way.
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Paso por las llaves antes de salir.
I am picking up the keys before leaving.
Why it works: Here pasar por identifies the items being collected on the way.
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Ella pasa por su hermano a las cuatro.
She picks up her brother at four.
Why it works: Here pasar por expresses picking up a person on the way.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that describes picking up the package on the way home.
Answer: Paso por el paquete de camino a casa.
Show the answer
Answer: Paso por el paquete de camino a casa.
Use pasar por directly with an object to express picking it up or collecting it.
Welcoming visitors inside with pasar a versus inviting visits with pasar por
The problem: Learners may not know which preposition to choose when inviting a friend to visit versus welcoming someone inside.
In social situations, the choice between por and a changes the meaning of an invitation. Use pasar por to invite someone to drop by your home or neighborhood for a visit. When a visitor arrives at your door, use pasar a to invite them to cross the threshold into an inner room.
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Pasa por mi casa este fin de semana.
Drop by my house this weekend.
Why it works: This invites a friend to make a visit in the future.
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Pasa a la sala y toma asiento.
Come into the living room and take a seat.
Why it works: This welcomes a guest who has arrived to step inside.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that welcomes a guest standing at the entrance to step into the living room.
Answer: Pasa a la sala y descansa.
Show the answer
Answer: Pasa a la sala y descansa.
Use pasar a to invite someone standing at the entrance to step forward into an interior room.
Coming to the table to eat with pasar a la mesa
The problem: Learners often wonder how to express moving from socializing or waiting to gathering at the table for a meal.
In a meal context, pasar a la mesa commonly describes heading to the dining table to have a meal, without guaranteeing that people immediately sit down. While pasar por la mesa suggests stopping by or walking near the table, pasar a la mesa typically signals coming to the table when it is time to eat.
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Todos los invitados pasan a la mesa para cenar.
All the guests come to the table for dinner.
Why it works: This describes the transition from socializing to gathering at the table to eat.
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La comida está lista, pasamos a la mesa.
The food is ready; we are coming to the table.
Why it works: Here pasar a la mesa expresses coming to the table for a meal.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that describes family members coming to the table to eat lunch.
Answer: La familia pasa a la mesa para comer.
Show the answer
Answer: La familia pasa a la mesa para comer.
Use pasar a la mesa to describe moving to the table for a meal.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose pasar por when making a stop along a journey. Choose pasar a when crossing into an inner room or transitioning forward to the next task.
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Explain in two Spanish sentences that you are stopping by the post office on your way home and then going into your study to read.
You could start with “Esta tarde paso por…”
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