Vocabulary
Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Transitioning
The short answer
Use pasar por when your movement goes through a place, follows a route, or makes a brief stop along the way. Use pasar a when someone crosses a boundary into an interior room or moves forward to start a new action or agenda item.
Key points
- Pair pasar por with physical places, buildings, shops, or streets to indicate a stopover or route.
- Pair pasar a with inner destinations like offices or consultation rooms, or follow it directly with an infinitive verb to signal proceeding to the next activity.
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
Antes de comer, paso por la farmacia.
Before eating, I stop by the pharmacy.
Why it works: Indicates a brief errand stop before a scheduled meal.
2 more examples
-
El médico me pide pasar a su despacho.
The doctor asks me to step into his office.
Expresses crossing a threshold into an interior room.
-
Terminamos la lectura y pasamos a responder las dudas.
We finish the reading and move on to answering the questions.
Expresses progressing to the next communicative task.
Read the full guide
Stopping by places with pasar por
The problem: How do you tell a friend you will stop by the pharmacy or supermarket on your way home?
To express dropping by a location briefly before heading to your main destination, use pasar por followed by the place. This construction shows that the visit is a short stop along your route.
-
Esta tarde paso por el supermercado antes de volver a casa.
This afternoon I am stopping by the supermarket before returning home.
Why it works: The speaker stops briefly at a shop along their return route.
-
Mi hermano pasa por la panadería esta tarde.
My brother is stopping by the bakery this afternoon.
Why it works: Indicates a brief errand at a specific shop.
Your turn
Which sentence naturally expresses stopping by a store to pick up groceries on the way?
Answer: Paso por el mercado de camino a casa.
Show the answer
Answer: Paso por el mercado de camino a casa.
Use pasar por with physical stores to express dropping by on your way somewhere.
Passing through streets and routes with pasar por
The problem: How do you describe traveling through a particular avenue, bridge, or neighborhood?
Beyond errand stops, pasar por describes traveling through a specific path, street, or landmark during a journey. It highlights the transit path rather than a final destination.
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El autobús pasa por la plaza principal cada diez minutos.
The bus passes through the main square every ten minutes.
Why it works: Describes the transit corridor followed by the transit route.
-
Nosotros pasamos por esa calle tranquila todos los días.
We pass through that quiet street every day.
Why it works: Refers to the everyday path taken on foot.
You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: Pasar por vs. Pasar a for Stopping By and Transitioning and Learn Spanish: Antes de nada vs. Sobre todo for Sequence and Importance.
Your turn
Choose the option that describes traveling through an avenue during a morning walk.
Answer: Por la mañana pasamos por la avenida arbolada.
Show the answer
Answer: Por la mañana pasamos por la avenida arbolada.
Pasar por describes the path or transit corridor you travel through.
Swinging by to pick up items or people with pasar por
The problem: How do you say that you will swing by to collect tickets, packages, or pick up a friend?
When you swing by a place to collect an object or pick someone up on your way, use pasar por followed directly by the item or person. This everyday pattern expresses collecting someone or something during your route.
-
Esta tarde paso por las entradas para el concierto.
This afternoon I am swinging by to pick up the tickets for the concert.
Why it works: Uses pasar por with an item to express picking it up along the way.
-
Mi padre pasa por nosotros después del colegio.
My father is swinging by to pick us up after school.
Why it works: Uses pasar por with people to express picking them up on the way home.
Your turn
Which sentence naturally expresses swinging by to pick up the office keys?
Answer: Paso por las llaves antes de salir.
Show the answer
Answer: Paso por las llaves antes de salir.
Pasar por followed directly by an item expresses swinging by to collect or pick it up.
Entering inner rooms with pasar a
The problem: How does a receptionist or doctor invite you to enter their office or consultation room?
To direct someone across a threshold into an interior room, office, or dining hall, use pasar a. The preposition a marks the boundary being crossed into that specific enclosed area.
-
Usted puede pasar a la sala de espera ahora.
You can step into the waiting room now.
Why it works: Directs a patient across the threshold into an adjoining room.
-
Los invitados pasan al comedor para cenar.
The guests step into the dining room to have dinner.
Why it works: Uses the contraction al because comedor is masculine.
Your turn
How does an assistant politely ask a client to step into the private office?
Answer: Por favor, pase al despacho.
Show the answer
Answer: Por favor, pase al despacho.
Pasar al despacho expresses stepping into an interior room or office.
Progressing to the next activity with pasar a + infinitive
The problem: How do you state in a meeting or class that it is time to move on to the next topic or exercise?
When moving from one task or discussion to the next, use pasar a followed directly by an infinitive verb. This construction signals advancing to a new agenda item or subsequent activity.
-
Ahora pasamos a practicar los nuevos ejercicios.
Now we move on to practicing the new exercises.
Why it works: Transitions from the current discussion to a new practice task.
-
El profesor pasa a explicar la segunda regla.
The teacher moves on to explaining the second rule.
Why it works: Marks the start of the next instructional step.
Your turn
Which option means moving forward to discuss the project budget?
Answer: Ahora pasamos a discutir el presupuesto del proyecto.
Show the answer
Answer: Ahora pasamos a discutir el presupuesto del proyecto.
Pasar a followed by an infinitive expresses transitioning to the next action or agenda point.
Choosing between por and a with the same room
The problem: What is the difference between saying pasa por el despacho and pasa al despacho?
When referring to the same room or office, choosing por or a changes your meaning completely. Use pasar por when someone should drop by briefly on their way, and use pasar a when inviting someone to cross the threshold and step inside.
-
Pasa por mi despacho antes de las dos si necesitas la firma.
Drop by my office before two if you need the signature.
Why it works: Por signals a quick errand stop at the office during the workday.
-
El director me pide pasar al despacho para comenzar la entrevista.
The director asks me to step into the office to begin the interview.
Why it works: A signals crossing the threshold to enter the room.
Your turn
Which sentence invites a colleague to step inside an office to start an interview?
Answer: Pase al despacho para la entrevista.
Show the answer
Answer: Pase al despacho para la entrevista.
Pasar al despacho expresses stepping across the threshold to enter the inner room.
Advancing to the next agenda item with pasar a + noun
The problem: How do you announce moving forward to the next topic or stage in a meeting?
In meetings, classes, and formal presentations, use pasar a followed by a noun phrase to signal moving forward to the next stage of an agenda. Before masculine singular nouns like el siguiente punto, remember that a and el contract to form al.
-
Ahora pasamos al siguiente punto de la reunión.
Now we move on to the next item of the meeting.
Why it works: Pasar a with a masculine noun contracts to al to indicate advancing to the next stage.
-
El comité pasa a la segunda fase del proyecto.
The committee moves on to the second phase of the project.
Why it works: Pasar a indicates progressing to a new project phase.
Your turn
Which option correctly announces advancing to the next topic on the agenda?
Answer: Pasamos al siguiente tema de la reunión.
Show the answer
Answer: Pasamos al siguiente tema de la reunión.
Pasar a expresses moving forward to the next stage or agenda topic.
Before you go
Remember this
Remember this practical guide: choose pasar por for errands and stops along your way, and choose pasar a to invite someone into an inner room or advance to the next step.
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State in two complete Spanish sentences that you are stopping by the bookstore this afternoon and then moving on to study at home.
You could start with “Esta tarde paso…”
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