Time, laws and transitions.
Formal French uses passer for the movement of time and process: passer un contrat (to enter into a contract), passer une commande (to place an order), passer en revue (to review).
The literary le temps passe and its cousin le passé — the past — come from the same root. And trépasser, to pass away, survives as an elevated euphemism.
💡 Focus at this level: Literary & formal
1. « Passer une commande » = to place an order. Business standard.
2. « Passer en revue » = to review systematically.
3. Recognise « il passa ». Past historic.
Play the free French games → · Back to the full « passer » chart →