Introduction
Sobrepasar means “to exceed, to overtake”, and it is one of the verbs you will use again and again in Spanish. Sobrepasar means to exceed or to overtake, and it covers exceeding a limit, a budget or a speed, and overtaking a car on the road: sobrepasar el límite, sobrepasar un camión. It is a fully regular -ar verb. This page shows sobrepasar in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” — I exceed the speed limit.
Sobrepasar in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how sobrepasar is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use sobrepasar in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” — I exceed the speed limit.
“¿Sobrepasas el presupuesto del proyecto?” — Do you exceed the project budget?
“Sobrepasa un camión en la carretera.” — He/she exceeds a lorry on the road.
“Nosotros sobrepasamos las expectativas de todos.” — We exceed everyone's expectations.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show sobrepasar in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer, yo sobrepasé el límite de velocidad.” — Yesterday, I exceeded the speed limit. (preterite)
“Antes, él sobrepasaba el presupuesto del proyecto.” — Before, he used to exceed the project budget. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of sobrepasar stays the same.
“Mañana, nosotros sobrepasaremos un camión en la carretera.” — Tomorrow, we will exceed a lorry on the road. (future)
“¿Tú has sobrepasado las expectativas de todos?” — Have you exceeded everyone's expectations? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros sobrepasáis el límite de velocidad.” — You exceed the speed limit.
“Ellos sobrepasan el presupuesto del proyecto.” — They exceed the project budget.
“Yo sobrepaso un camión en la carretera.” — I exceed a lorry on the road.
“Mi padre sobrepasa las expectativas de todos.” — My father exceeds everyone's expectations.
Sobrepasar in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how sobrepasar appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Marta: “¿Tú sobrepasas el presupuesto del proyecto?” — Do you exceed the project budget?
Pedro: “Sí, yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” — Yes, I exceed the speed limit.
Marta: “Nosotros sobrepasamos las expectativas de todos.” — We exceed everyone's expectations.
Pedro: “Y ellos sobrepasan el presupuesto del proyecto.” — And they exceed the project budget.
Marta: “Vosotros sobrepasáis un camión en la carretera.” — You exceed a lorry on the road.
Pedro: “Sí, y él sobrepasa el límite de velocidad.” — Yes, and he exceeds the speed limit.
A short paragraph
Sobrepasa el límite de velocidad, y nosotros sobrepasamos las expectativas de todos. Yo sobrepaso el presupuesto del proyecto, y ellos sobrepasan un camión en la carretera. Sobrepasar is part of everyday life, because exceed, to overtake is something people do in work, at home and with friends, in the present, the past and the future.
Common mistakes with sobrepasar
These are the errors learners actually make with sobrepasar. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo sobrepasa el límite de velocidad.” Right: “Yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” Why: The person matters: sobrepasa is the él/ella/Ud. form, while the yo form is sobrepaso. Using the third-person form with yo is one of the most common beginner errors.
Wrong: “Ayer yo sobrepaso el presupuesto del proyecto.” Right: “Ayer yo sobrepasé el presupuesto del proyecto.” Why: The present and the preterite are different tenses: sobrepaso is happening now, while sobrepasé is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
Wrong: “Treating sobrepasar and superar as identical in every context.” Right: “Sobrepasar means to exceed, to overtake, while superar means to overcome, to exceed.” Why: They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: sobrepasar fits sentences such as Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad, while superar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
Wrong: “Yo soy sobrepasado el presupuesto del proyecto.” Right: “Yo he sobrepasado el presupuesto del proyecto.” Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he sobrepasado, has sobrepasado, ha sobrepasado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
Wrong: “De niño, yo sobrepasé un camión en la carretera todos los días.” Right: “De niño, yo sobrepasaba un camión en la carretera todos los días.” Why: For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (sobrepasaba), not the preterite. The preterite (sobrepasé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: sobrepasar in use
Ten questions on sobrepasar in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ el límite de velocidad.” (You exceed the speed limit.)
- (a) sobrepasáis
- (b) sobrepaso
- (c) sobrepasas
Answer: sobrepasáis — The vosotros/as form of sobrepasar in the present tense is sobrepasáis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ el presupuesto del proyecto.” (They exceed the project budget.)
- (a) sobrepasas
- (b) sobrepasan
- (c) sobrepaso
Answer: sobrepasan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of sobrepasar in the present tense is sobrepasan.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ el límite de velocidad.” (Yesterday I exceeded the speed limit.)
- (a) sobrepasaste
- (b) sobrepasó
- (c) sobrepasé
Answer: sobrepasé — In the preterite, the yo form of sobrepasar is sobrepasé.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Antes, él ______ el presupuesto del proyecto.” (Before, he used to exceed the project budget.)
- (a) sobrepasaba
- (b) sobrepaso
- (c) sobrepasabas
Answer: sobrepasaba — In the imperfect, the él/ella/Ud. form of sobrepasar is sobrepasaba.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Mañana, nosotros ______ un camión en la carretera.” (Tomorrow we will exceed a lorry on the road.)
- (a) sobrepasarás
- (b) sobrepasaremos
- (c) sobrepasaré
Answer: sobrepasaremos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of sobrepasar is sobrepasaremos.
6. What does sobrepasar mean in English?
- (a) to exceed, to overtake
- (b) to be left over, to be too much
- (c) to overcome, to exceed
Answer: to exceed, to overtake — Sobrepasar means “to exceed, to overtake”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo sobrepasa el límite de velocidad.
- (b) Ellos sobrepasa el presupuesto del proyecto.
- (c) Yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.
Answer: Yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. — “Yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I exceed the speed limit.” in Spanish?
- (a) Mi padre sobrepasa las expectativas de todos.
- (b) Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.
- (c) Sobrepasan el límite de velocidad.
Answer: Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. — “Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” is the correct translation.
9. What is the nosotros form of sobrepasar in the present tense?
- (a) sobrepaso
- (b) sobrepasas
- (c) sobrepasamos
Answer: sobrepasamos — The nosotros form is sobrepasamos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Mañana, nosotros sobrepasaremos un camión en la carretera.
- (b) Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.
- (c) Ayer, yo sobrepasé el límite de velocidad.
Answer: Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. — “Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I exceed the speed limit' in Spanish?
Say 'Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad'. For a routine, add a time expression: 'Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad todos los días'.
How do you say 'He exceeds the project budget' in Spanish?
Say 'Él sobrepasa el presupuesto del proyecto'. The subject comes first, and the verb agrees with it: él takes sobrepasa.
What is the difference between sobrepasar and superar?
Sobrepasar means to exceed, to overtake, while superar means to overcome, to exceed. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use sobrepasar when you mean to exceed, to overtake, as in 'Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad', and use superar for to overcome, to exceed.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of sobrepasar — every tense of sobrepasar in one place.
- Sobrepasar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on sobrepasar and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of sobrepasar until they are automatic.