passer at B1 — passer un examen (false friend!)
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The false friend that has embarrassed thousands of learners.
Taking, not passing
Passer un examen means to take an exam, not to pass it. To pass is réussir — « j’ai réussi mon examen ». So « j’ai passé mon examen » tells a French speaker only that you sat it; it says nothing about the result.
The mistake is common and consequential: a learner announcing « j’ai passé mon bac » is not claiming success. If you passed, say « j’ai eu mon examen » or « j’ai réussi ». If you failed, « j’ai raté ».
💡 Focus at this level: passer un examen = to TAKE an exam
👨🏫 How to use « passer » at this level
1. Passer = to sit. Réussir = to pass. Never confuse them.
2. « J’ai eu mon bac » is the natural way to say you passed.
3. « Rater » = to fail. Also used for missing a train.
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