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"Colarse" is a pronominal verb which is often translated as "to sneak in", and "pasarse" is a reciprocal verb which is often translated as "to pass". Learn more about the difference between "colarse" and "pasarse" below.
colarse(
koh
-
lahr
-
seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
1. (colloquial) (to enter furtively)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to sneak in
Nos colamos por la puerta de atrás y vimos la película sin pagar.We sneaked in through the back door and watched the movie without paying.
b. to slip in
Llegué tarde a casa, pero me colé por la ventana y mis papás nunca se enteraron.I got home very late, but I slipped in through a window and my parents never found out.
c. to crash (colloquial) (transitive)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
La fiesta iba muy bien hasta que unos tipos desconocidos se colaron.The party was going well until some random guys crashed it.
a. to cut in line (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
¡Llevo horas haciendo fila y llega él y se cuela!I've been in line for hours, and he just gets here and cuts in line!
b. to jump the queue (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Hay mucha gente antes que nosotros, ¿nos colamos?There are too many people in front of us; shall we jump the queue?
3. (colloquial) (to fall in love) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. to fall for somebody
¡Es tan guapo! Me colé por él nada más conocerlo.He is so handsome! I fell for him when we first met.
4. (colloquial) (to make a mistake) (Spain)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Spain
a. to get wrong (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
No estudié y me colé en una sección entera del examen.I didn't study and got an entire section of the test wrong.
colar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
5. (to drain)
a. to pass off
Alguien le coló un billete de cien dólares falso al cajero de la tienda.Somebody passed a fake hundred-dollar bill to the store cashier.
b. to palm off
Me di cuenta que me habían colado una falsificación.I realized I'd been palmed off with a fake.
a. to sneak in
Estoy segura de que podremos colarlo en la recepción sin problema.I'm sure we'll have no problem sneaking him into the reception.
8. (to pretend)
a. to make up
Mi amigo nos coló el cuento de que se había ganado la lotería.My friend made up a story that he had won the lottery.
9. (to whiten)
a. to bleach
Se manchó tu camisa blanca. La voy a poner a colar.Your white shirt is stained. I'm going to bleach it.
10. (metallurgy)
a. to cast
Es preferible colar solamente aluminio nuevo para producir sartenes de alta calidad.It is preferable to cast only new aluminum in order to produce high-quality frying pans.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
11. (colloquial) (to be believed)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Dile a tu mamá que vienes a estudiar, a ver si cuela y te deja salir.Tell your mom you're coming over to study; maybe she'll buy it and let you go out.
Mejor invéntate otra cosa; yo creo que tu historia no va a colar.You'd better come up with something else; I don't think your story's going to wash.
pasarse(
pah
-
sahr
-
seh
)A reciprocal verb is a verb that indicates that two or more subjects perform an action on each other (e.g., Ellos se abrazan.).
a. to pass
Los amigos se pasaron las respuestas durante el examen.The friends passed each other the answers during the test.
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
2. (to change)
a. to go over (to a different side)
Se pasó al bando del oponente.He went over to the opponent's side.
b. to come over (to your side)
Tenemos que convencerlos a que se pasen a nuestro lado.We have to convince them to come over to our side.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
No llamé a Mamá. Se me pasó por completo.I haven't called Mom; it completely slipped my mind.
¿Por qué no compraste pan? - Tenía prisa y se me pasó.Why didn't you buy some bread? - I was in a hurry and it slipped my mind.
a. to miss
Se me pasó la fecha límite para entregar la solicitud.I missed the deadline for sending in my application.
b. to go off (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Esta mantequilla ya está para tirar. Se ha pasado.This butter can be thrown away. It's gone off.
c. to go soft (cookies or fruit)
Aunque las guardaba en una lata, las galletas se pasaron.Even though I kept them in a tin, the cookies went soft.
d. to go stale (bread, cake, cookies)
Hay que comer el pastel antes de que se pase.We must eat the cake before it goes stale.
7. (to wilt)
a. to fade
¿Puedes cortar más flores? Estas se han pasado.Can you cut some more flowers? These ones have faded.
8. (culinary)
a. to be overdone
Retira la pasta del fuego o se pasará.Take the pasta off the heat or it will be overdone.
9. (to occupy)
a. to spend
Alejandro se pasa todo el tiempo en la cama mirando la televisión.Alejandro spends all his time in bed watching television.
10. (colloquial) (to go to extremes)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. to go too far
¡Deja de burlarte de Amalia! A veces te pasas.Stop teasing Amalia! You go too far sometimes.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¡No te pases con el azúcar!Don't put too much sugar in it!
Lo siento, me pasé con la pimienta.I'm sorry. I overdid it with the pepper.
a. to be far too
Elena se pasa de amable; siempre quiere ayudar a la gente.Elena's far too kind; she always wants to help people.
13. (to disappear)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
No te preocupes por mí. Ya se me pasó el mareo.Don't worry about me. I'm no longer feeling seasick.
No necesito una aspirina. Ya se me pasó el dolor de cabeza.I don't need an aspirin. My headache is gone.
pasar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
15. (to occur)
16. (to go across)
17. (to reach)
a. to meet
Los materiales no pasan los criterios rigurosos internos.The materials don't meet the strict internal standards.
18. (to suffer)
a. to go through
La familia pasó muchas dificultades durante la posguerra.The family went through a lot of hard times in the period after the war.
a. to spend
¿Qué hiciste durante las vacaciones? - Pasé el mes entero en casa de mis abuelos.What did you do during the vacation? - I spent the whole month at my grandparents'.
Cuando tenemos exámenes, pasamos mucho tiempo estudiando.When we have exams, we spend a lot of time studying.
20. (education)
a. to pass
Si paso este examen, habré acabado la carrera.If I pass this exam, I'll have finished my degree.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
21. (to proceed)
22. (to elapse)
23. (to pass along)
a. to go by
Ayer pasé por la casa de Alicia, pero las luces estaban apagadas. - Se fue de vacaciones.Last night I went by Alicia's house, but the lights were off. - She went away on vacation.
24. (to travel past)
