transcurren

Transcurren is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb transcurrir. The verb means to pass or elapse, especially with reference to time or events. In English, it can be rendered as "they pass" or "they elapse." It is commonly used to describe how time or a sequence of events unfolds.

Etymology and meaning: Transcurrir comes from Latin transcurrere, formed by trans- “across” and currere “to run.” The figurative sense is that time or events “run across” a span, thus passing or progressing.

Conjugation overview: Transcurrir is an -ir verb. Its present tense forms include yo transcurro, tú transcurres, él transcurre, nosotros transcurrimos, vosotros transcurrís, y ellos transcurren. Transcurren, specifically, is the ordinary third-person plural form used in present statements about time passing or events developing. The verb also yields transcurrió / transcurrieron in the preterite, transcurría / transcurrían in the imperfect, and transcurra in the present subjunctive. The past participle is transcurrido.

Usage notes: The expression transcurren los días/hours/horas often appears in narrative or descriptive prose to indicate the passage of time. It can also describe how events unfold during a given period. The term is more common in formal, literary, or journalistic registers than in very colloquial speech, though it is widely understood in all Spanish-speaking regions. Related terms include transcurso (the course or passage itself) and tiempo transcurrido (elapsed time).

See also: Transcurso, Tiempo transcurrido, Transcurrir (the verb).

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