passt

passt is the third-person singular present tense form of the German verb passen, meaning to fit, to suit, or to be appropriate for a given purpose. It is used to describe whether something is suitable, whether an item matches another, or whether a plan works for a person or situation.

Common usages include simple assessments of fit or suitability. For example, Das passt. means “That fits” or “That works.” Die Größe passt means “The size fits.” Der Termin passt mir means “The appointment works for me.” Passen zu is used to express compatibility or matching, as in Das Hemd passt gut zu der Hose (The shirt goes well with the pants). Zusammenpassen is a related verb meaning “to go well together.”

The verb also appears in several common phrases and with different nuances. Passen auf means “to pay attention” or, in the imperative, Passen Sie auf means “Please pay attention.” In sports or games, passen can mean to pass the ball (den Ball passen). In everyday speech, it is frequent to say Das passt nicht (That doesn’t work/That won’t do).

Grammar notes: passen is a regular (weak) verb. The present tense forms are: ich passe, du passt, er/sie/es passt, wir passen, ihr passt, sie/Sie passen. The past participle is gepasst, used with haben to form the perfect: hat gepasst.

In summary, passt is a versatile German term for expressing fit, suitability, or compatibility, and it appears in a range of everyday expressions, from “that fits” to “that goes with.”