Sobrepasar Conjugation in Spanish
The Spanish verb sobrepasar means to exceed, to overtake, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. 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. Like every Spanish verb, sobrepasar changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say sobrepaso el límite de velocidad, and in the preterite you say sobrepasé un camión en la carretera. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.
Quick facts
- Infinitive: sobrepasar
- English: to exceed, to overtake
- Verb type: regular -ar verb
- Ending: -ar
- Gerund: sobrepasando
- Past participle: sobrepasado
- Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + sobrepasado)
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for sobrepasar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Sobrepasar is fully regular: sobrepasé, sobrepasaba, sobrepasaré.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for sobrepasar. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.
Present indicative
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepaso |
| tú | sobrepasas |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasa |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasamos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasan |
Preterite
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepasé |
| tú | sobrepasaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasó |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasamos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasaron |
Imperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepasaba |
| tú | sobrepasabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasaba |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasábamos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasaban |
Future
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepasaré |
| tú | sobrepasarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasará |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasaremos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasarán |
Conditional
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepasaría |
| tú | sobrepasarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasaría |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasaríamos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasarían |
Present perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | he sobrepasado |
| tú | has sobrepasado |
| él/ella/Ud. | ha sobrepasado |
| nosotros/as | hemos sobrepasado |
| vosotros/as | habéis sobrepasado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | han sobrepasado |
Pluperfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | había sobrepasado |
| tú | habías sobrepasado |
| él/ella/Ud. | había sobrepasado |
| nosotros/as | habíamos sobrepasado |
| vosotros/as | habíais sobrepasado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habían sobrepasado |
Future perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habré sobrepasado |
| tú | habrás sobrepasado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habrá sobrepasado |
| nosotros/as | habremos sobrepasado |
| vosotros/as | habréis sobrepasado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrán sobrepasado |
Conditional perfect
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | habría sobrepasado |
| tú | habrías sobrepasado |
| él/ella/Ud. | habría sobrepasado |
| nosotros/as | habríamos sobrepasado |
| vosotros/as | habríais sobrepasado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | habrían sobrepasado |
Present subjunctive
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepase |
| tú | sobrepases |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepase |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasemos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepaséis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasen |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| yo | sobrepasara |
| tú | sobrepasaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepasara |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasáramos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasaran |
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | sobrepasa |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepase |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasemos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepasad |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasen |
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tú | sobrepases |
| él/ella/Ud. | sobrepase |
| nosotros/as | sobrepasemos |
| vosotros/as | sobrepaséis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | sobrepasen |
Gerund and past participle
| Form | Spanish | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund | sobrepasando | with estar for the progressive: estoy sobrepasando |
| Past participle | sobrepasado | with haber for the perfect tenses: he sobrepasado |
How to use each tense
Present indicative
Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Preterite
Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, sobrepasé el presupuesto del proyecto. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect
Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, sobrepasaba un camión en la carretera. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future
Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, sobrepasaré las expectativas de todos. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional
Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Sobrepasaría el límite de velocidad si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present perfect
Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, he sobrepasado el presupuesto del proyecto. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Pluperfect
Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Había sobrepasado un camión en la carretera antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Future perfect
Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, habré sobrepasado las expectativas de todos. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Conditional perfect
Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Habría sobrepasado el límite de velocidad con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Present subjunctive
Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él sobrepase el presupuesto del proyecto. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)
Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él sobrepasara un camión en la carretera, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (affirmative)
Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: ¡Sobrepasa las expectativas de todos! Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Imperative (negative)
Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sobrepasar, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No sobrepases el límite de velocidad. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with sobrepasar, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.
- Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. — I exceed the speed limit.
- Sobrepasa el presupuesto del proyecto. — He/she exceeds the project budget.
- Ayer, sobrepasé un camión en la carretera. — Yesterday, I exceeded a lorry on the road.
- Antes, nosotros sobrepasábamos las expectativas de todos. — Before, we used to exceed everyone's expectations.
- Mañana, tú sobrepasarás el límite de velocidad. — Tomorrow, you will exceed the speed limit.
- Yo sobrepasaría el presupuesto del proyecto si tuviera más tiempo. — I would exceed the project budget if I had more time.
- Él ha sobrepasado un camión en la carretera. — He has exceeded a lorry on the road.
- Espero que él sobrepase las expectativas de todos. — I hope he exceeds everyone's expectations.
- Yo ya había sobrepasado el límite de velocidad antes de salir. — I had already exceeded the speed limit before leaving.
- Ellos sobrepasaban el presupuesto del proyecto cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to exceed the project budget when they were young.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Yo sobrepasa el límite de velocidad. — Right: Yo sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. — 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. — 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. — 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. — 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. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (sobrepasaba), not the preterite. The preterite (sobrepasé) is for one finished action.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on sobrepasar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el límite de velocidad. (present tense) A. sobrepaso B. sobrepasas C. sobrepasa D. sobrepasamos
Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ el presupuesto del proyecto. (preterite) A. sobrepasé B. sobrepasaste C. sobrepasamos D. sobrepasó
Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ un camión en la carretera. (imperfect) A. sobrepasabas B. sobrepaso C. sobrepasábamos D. sobrepasaba
Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ las expectativas de todos. (future) A. sobrepasaremos B. sobrepasarás C. sobrepasaré D. sobrepasará
Complete the sentence: Yo ___ el límite de velocidad si pudiera. (conditional) A. sobrepasaría B. sobrepasarías C. sobrepasaríamos D. sobrepaso
Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ el presupuesto del proyecto. (present subjunctive) A. sobrepases B. sobrepasemos C. sobrepaso D. sobrepase
Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ un camión en la carretera, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. sobrepasáramos B. sobrepaso C. sobrepasara D. sobrepasaras
Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ las expectativas de todos. (present perfect) A. ha sobrepasado B. hemos sobrepasado C. he sobrepasado D. has sobrepasado
Complete the command: ¡___ el límite de velocidad! (affirmative imperative, tú) A. sobrepasa B. sobrepase C. sobrepasemos D. sobrepasad
Which is the gerund of sobrepasar, used with estar for the progressive? A. sobrepasado B. sobrepaso C. sobrepasé D. sobrepasando
Answer key
- sobrepaso — The yo present tense of sobrepasar is sobrepaso.
- sobrepasó — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of sobrepasar is sobrepasó.
- sobrepasábamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of sobrepasar is sobrepasábamos.
- sobrepasarás — The tú future of sobrepasar is sobrepasarás.
- sobrepasaría — The yo conditional of sobrepasar is sobrepasaría.
- sobrepase — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of sobrepasar is sobrepase.
- sobrepasara — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of sobrepasar is sobrepasara.
- hemos sobrepasado — The nosotros/as present perfect of sobrepasar is hemos sobrepasado.
- sobrepasa — The affirmative tú imperative of sobrepasar is sobrepasa.
- sobrepasando — The gerund of sobrepasar is sobrepasando: estoy sobrepasando. The participle sobrepasado is used with haber instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does sobrepasar mean in English?
Sobrepasar means to exceed, to overtake. It is used in everyday situations such as Sobrepaso el límite de velocidad. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.
Is sobrepasar regular or irregular?
Sobrepasar is a fully regular -ar verb, so every tense follows the standard endings for its class. Once you know the regular pattern, you can produce every form on this page, including sobrepaso in the present and sobrepasé in the preterite.
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. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.
How do I say “I exceed” in the past?
It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo sobrepasé el presupuesto del proyecto. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo sobrepasaba un camión en la carretera. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo he sobrepasado el presupuesto del proyecto.
How do I practise sobrepasar?
Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the sobrepasar examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.
Related links
- Sobrepasar in the present tense — the full present-tense table for sobrepasar.
- Sobrepasar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice for sobrepasar.
- Spanish verbs — the Spanish hub, with every verb and tense guide.
- Sobrar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sobrepasar.
- Solicitar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sobrepasar.
- Solucionar conjugation — another -ar verb to compare with sobrepasar.
- Spanish Verb Conjugator — conjugate any Spanish verb in every tense.
- Spanish Verb Quiz — test yourself on real conjugated forms.