past
word
/ˈpæst/
past
/pˈɑːst/
pahst
Definition
'Past' refers to a time before the present, or something that already happened. It can also describe something no longer current or someone’s history.
Usage & Nuances
'Past' can be a noun ('in the past'), adjective ('past events'), or preposition ('past the house'). It's common in both formal and informal settings. Collocations: 'the recent past', 'past mistakes', 'walk past'. Don’t confuse with 'passed' (the verb form of 'pass').
Spanish: pasado - anteriorPortuguese (BR): passado - anteriorPortuguese (PT): passado - anteriorChinese (Simplified): 过去 - 以前的Chinese (Traditional): 過去 - 以前的Hindi: अतीत - पिछलाArabic: الماضي - السابقBengali: অতীত - আগের (সময়/জীবন)Russian: прошлое - прошлыйJapanese: 過去 - 昔 (むかし) - 通り過ぎて (前置詞用法)Vietnamese: quá khứ - đã quaKorean: 과거 - 지난 (시간/일)Turkish: geçmiş - önceki (zaman) - yanından geçmek (edat olarak)Urdu: ماضی - گزرا ہواIndonesian: masa lalu - lampau - melewati (untuk preposisi)
Example Sentences
We learned about the past in history class.
basic
It's important to forget past mistakes.
basic
She walked past the bakery on her way home.
basic
Don’t let the past hold you back from trying new things.
natural
It’s already past midnight; we should head home.
natural
His past still affects the way he acts today.
natural