Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say What Happened in Spanish
¿Qué pasó? · verb · keh pah-SOH
The Spanish phrase for 'what happened' is '¿qué pasó?,' using the preterite tense of the verb 'pasar' (to happen). More formal alternatives include '¿qué ocurrió?' and '¿qué sucedió?'
Say '¿qué pasó?' as keh pah-SOH. The stress falls on the last syllable of 'pasó,' indicated by the accent mark.
¿Qué pasó anoche en la fiesta?
What happened last night at the party?
what happened in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for what happened, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¿qué pasó? | what happened | keh pah-SOH | Default, widely understood |
| ¿qué ocurrió? | what happened | more formal | |
| ¿qué sucedió? | what happened | formal or written |
How Native Speakers Use ¿Qué pasó?
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Concerned question
¿Qué pasó? ¿Por qué estás llorando?
What happened? Why are you crying?
Showing concern for someone upset.
News event
¿Qué ocurrió en el centro de la ciudad?
What happened in the city center?
Asking about a public event or incident.
Casual check-in
Oye, ¿qué pasó con la reunión de ayer?
Hey, what happened with yesterday's meeting?
Following up on a past event.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using ¿Qué pasó?
Using present tense instead of past
Incorrect: ¿Qué pasa ayer?
Correct: ¿Qué pasó ayer?
'Pasa' is present tense (what happens/is happening), while 'pasó' is past tense (what happened). The preterite form is needed for completed past events.
Forgetting the accent on 'pasó'
Incorrect: ¿Qué paso?
Correct: ¿Qué pasó?
Without the accent, 'paso' means 'step' (noun) or 'I pass' (present tense). The accent on 'pasó' indicates the past tense third person.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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See ¿Qué pasó? used by native speakers
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Common Questions About what happened in Spanish
- What is the difference between '¿qué pasó?' and '¿qué pasa?'
- The phrase '¿qué pasó?' asks about a past event (what happened), while '¿qué pasa?' asks about the present (what's happening / what's going on).
- Is '¿qué pasó?' formal or informal?
- The expression '¿qué pasó?' is versatile and works in both casual and moderately formal situations — for very formal contexts, '¿qué ocurrió?' or '¿qué sucedió?' is more appropriate.
- Can '¿qué pasó?' be used as a greeting?
- In some Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, '¿qué pasó?' can serve as a casual greeting similar to 'what's up,' even when not asking about a specific event.