Vocabulary

Level: A2
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Transitioning

By MicroSpanish editorial team Published 7 Nov 2026

The short answer

Use pasar por to mark a route or place passed through or by, and to describe a stop when context supports that reading. In context, use pasar a when designating a destination you head toward, or when transitioning to a subsequent activity.

Key points

Pair pasar por with paths you travel through or stops along your journey.
In relevant contexts, use pasar a with destinations you proceed toward, and pair pasar a with an infinitive verb to signal moving on to a subsequent task.

Start the lesson

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

Siempre paso por la cafetería por la mañana.

I always pass by the coffee shop in the morning.

Why it works: The coffee shop is a location along the morning route.

2 more examples

Después de esperar, pasé a la sala de reuniones.

After waiting, I stepped into the meeting room.

The action describes crossing into the inner meeting space.
Terminamos la lectura y pasamos a responder preguntas.

We finished reading and moved on to answering questions.

Pasar a connects concluding the reading with starting the questions.

Read the full guide

7 short steps, one check each

Stopping by places with pasar por

Learners often wonder which preposition describes stopping briefly at a store during an errand run.

The problem: Learners often wonder which preposition describes stopping briefly at a store during an errand run.

When a shop, bakery, or friend's house serves as a stop or waypoint along your route, use pasar por. In this context, the preposition por marks the place as a stop along your path rather than your final destination.

Paso por la panadería antes de volver a casa.

I pass by the bakery before returning home.

Why it works: Here por marks the bakery as a location passed along the way home.
Ellos pasan por la farmacia esta tarde.

They pass by the pharmacy this afternoon.

Why it works: The pharmacy is a location passed along their afternoon route.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that describes stopping briefly at the market on the way.

Show the answer

Answer: Paso por el mercado después del trabajo.

Use pasar por to express stopping by a spot during your journey.

Dropping by a person's home or meeting point

Beginners may not know how to express swinging by someone's home or meeting point.

The problem: Beginners may not know how to express swinging by someone's home or meeting point.

When you go to someone's house to visit briefly, use pasar por followed by the location or house. It indicates you are visiting or stopping by that location.

Paso por tu casa a las cinco.

I stop by your house at five.

Why it works: The speaker is swinging by the listener's home at a set hour.
Mi hermano pasa por mi oficina al mediodía.

My brother stops by my office at noon.

Why it works: The office is a designated meeting spot along his daily path.

You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Transitioning and Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar de for Stopping By and Passing On Things.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly tells a friend you will swing by their apartment.

Show the answer

Answer: Paso por tu apartamento a las seis.

Pasar por describes dropping by a location on your route.

Moving along a path or street with pasar por

It can be confusing to describe walking or driving through a specific street or landmark.

The problem: It can be confusing to describe walking or driving through a specific street or landmark.

Beyond stopping at shops, pasar por describes traveling through or along a physical corridor, park, or avenue. It highlights the transit across that physical area.

El autobús pasa por la avenida principal.

The bus travels along the main avenue.

Why it works: Here por marks the route or corridor the bus travels through.
Nosotros pasamos por el parque cada mañana.

We pass through the park every morning.

Why it works: The park is the path taken during the morning walk.

Your turn

Choose the option that describes driving through a specific central street.

Show the answer

Answer: El coche pasa por la calle central.

Pasar por describes movement along or through a path.

Proceeding to destination spaces with pasar a

Learners often do not know how to invite someone inside or step into a back room.

The problem: Learners often do not know how to invite someone inside or step into a back room.

When inviting someone forward or directing them toward a specific room, office, or area as their destination, use pasar a. In these situations, the preposition a marks the space you proceed toward.

Puedes pasar a la sala de espera.

You can go to the waiting room.

Why it works: The preposition a marks the waiting room as the destination you proceed to.
Los clientes pasan al comedor principal.

The customers move into the main dining room.

Why it works: In this example, pasar al comedor conveys movement to or into the dining room in context.

Your turn

Which sentence politely invites a visitor forward to an office?

Show the answer

Answer: Pase a la oficina, por favor.

In this context, pasar a politely directs the visitor to proceed to the office as their destination.

Transitioning to a new activity with pasar a + infinitive

Expressing that you are moving on to the next task can be challenging.

The problem: Expressing that you are moving on to the next task can be challenging.

When finishing one activity and proceeding to the next task, use pasar a followed by an infinitive verb. It acts as a verbal bridge meaning to proceed to do something.

Ahora pasamos a revisar las respuestas.

Now we move on to checking the answers.

Why it works: Pasar a followed by the infinitive revisar marks transitioning to the next task.
El doctor pasa a examinar al paciente.

The doctor proceeds to examine the patient.

Why it works: The construction pasar a followed by an infinitive expresses transitioning to that action.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that expresses proceeding to discuss a new point.

Show the answer

Answer: Ahora pasamos a discutir el tema.

Pasar a followed by an infinitive expresses transitioning to a new task.

Contrasting waypoint stops with entering spaces

Learners sometimes mix up whether they are visiting a building or stepping into its back office.

The problem: Learners sometimes mix up whether they are visiting a building or stepping into its back office.

Compare both prepositions in the same context: pasar por marks a place as an intermediate stop along your route, while pasar a marks the specific destination you proceed to next.

Primero paso por la clínica y luego paso a la consulta.

First I pass by the clinic, and then I go to the consultation room.

Why it works: Por marks the place or route passed by, while context supplies whether there is a stop, and a marks the consultation room as the destination.
Pasamos por el banco antes de pasar al despacho.

We pass by the bank before going to the private office.

Why it works: The contrast clearly separates a location passed along the route from proceeding forward to the destination office.

Your turn

Choose the sentence where someone stops by the front desk and then steps into the office.

Show the answer

Answer: Paso por la recepción y luego paso a la oficina.

Pasar por marks stopping at reception, while pasar a marks entering the office.

Moving to the next stage or item with pasar a

Learners often need to express advancing to the next topic, stage, or agenda item.

The problem: Learners often need to express advancing to the next topic, stage, or agenda item.

Beyond physical spaces and infinitive verbs, pasar a can introduce a noun phrase to express moving on to the next topic, stage, or scheduled item. The preposition a signals progression forward to that new phase.

Ahora pasamos al siguiente tema de la reunión.

Now we move on to the next topic of the meeting.

Why it works: Here pasar a marks progression forward to the next agenda item.
El grupo pasa a la segunda fase del proyecto.

The group moves on to the second phase of the project.

Why it works: Here pasar a followed by a noun phrase marks advancing to the next project phase.

Your turn

Which sentence expresses moving on to the next question?

Show the answer

Answer: Pasamos a la siguiente pregunta.

Use pasar a with a noun phrase to express advancing to the next item or question.

Before you go

Remember this

Remember the deciding cue: choose pasar por for transit routes, paths, and intermediate stops, and choose pasar a in context for heading toward destinations or advancing to a next practical task.

Stage 2 of 5