Learn Spanish (Latin America): ¡Que pasen una velada estupenda!

In Spanish, starting a sentence with Que followed by the subjunctive is a common way to express a wish. It acts as a shortcut for saying 'I hope that...' (Espero que...) or 'I wish that...' (Deseo que...).

Why use the subjunctive pasen instead of the regular present tense pasan?

Because the sentence expresses a wish, it triggers the subjunctive mood. Even though the phrase Espero que (I hope that) is dropped, the invisible 'hope' still forces the verb pasar into its present subjunctive form, pasen.

Who is the speaker talking to if the verb is pasen?

The verb pasen is in the third-person plural form. In this conversational context, the speaker is addressing a group of people directly, making the implied subject ustedes (you all).

Why does the Spanish sentence use pasar (to pass) instead of tener (to have)?

In English, we 'have' a good time or a good evening. In Spanish, you talk about 'spending' or 'passing' time. Therefore, to tell someone to have a wonderful evening, you use the verb pasar.

What is the difference between and ?