verb

passare

pass · spend · to pass

Muoversi da un luogo o da una situazione a un’altra, oppure trascorrere del tempo.

Definition & meaning

Passare is a common Italian verb with several related meanings. Depending on context, it can mean:

To pass by, go past, or pass through: Il treno passa da qui — “The train passes through here.”
To cross or go across: passare la strada — “to cross the road.”
To spend or pass time: passare una giornata al mare — “to spend a day at the seaside.”
To hand or pass something to someone: passare il sale — “to pass the salt.”
To pass an exam or test: passare un esame — “to pass an exam.”
To pass, elapse, or go away, as with time, a feeling, or a difficulty: Il dolore passerà — “The pain will pass.”
To move on or switch to something: passare a un altro argomento — “to move on to another topic.”
In a euphemistic expression, to die: passare a miglior vita — literally, “to pass to a better life.”

It can also describe something being transmitted or passed on, such as a message, an illness, or a tradition.

Grammar & Word origin

Passare is a regular verb in -are. Its present-tense forms include passo , passi , and passa . Its past participle is passato , and its imperfect form is passavo .

The auxiliary verb depends on how it is used:

Avere is used with a direct object, as in ho passato l’esame (“I passed the exam”) or ho passato la giornata qui (“I spent the day here”).
Essere is often used for movement or passing by, as in sono passato da casa tua (“I stopped by your house”). With essere, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the subject.

The verb comes from Medieval Latin passare, related to Latin passus, meaning “step” or “pace.”

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym that fits every meaning of passare. The best alternative depends on the context:

attraversare means “to cross” or “go through,” emphasizing movement across a space.
transitare means “to pass through” or “travel through,” often with a more formal or technical tone.
trascorrere means “to spend” or “let time elapse,” especially when talking about time.
consegnare means “to hand over” or “deliver,” and is more precise when transferring an object.
superare means “to pass” an exam or “overcome” a difficulty; it emphasizes success or overcoming.
trasmettere means “to transmit” or “pass on,” especially information, signals, or traditions.

Antonyms also depend on the intended meaning:

fermarsi (“to stop”) contrasts with passing by or continuing onward.
trattenere (“to hold back” or “keep”) can contrast with letting something pass or handing it on.
bocciare (“to fail” someone or an exam) is an antonym when passare means “to pass an exam.”