1 A2 neutral
To move beyond a particular place or object without stopping.
"I go past the bakery every morning on my way to the station."
inseparable
go past
A2 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To move beyond a particular point or place without stopping.
In plain English
To walk or drive by something without stopping, like going past a shop.
What does "go past" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
For time to elapse or a deadline to be exceeded.
"The submission deadline went past before we finished the report."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move beyond a fixed point in space.
Actually means
To walk or drive by something without stopping, like going past a shop.
Usage tip
Very common in everyday British and American English. Used both literally (physical movement) and figuratively (e.g. a deadline goes past). More common in British English than American, where 'go by' is often preferred.
Words that pair with "go past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
house stop deadline limit turning junction
How to conjugate "go past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
go past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
goes past
he/she/it
Past simple
went past
yesterday
Past participle
gone past
have + pp
-ing form
going past
continuous
Hear "go past" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "go past" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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