Italian Phrase
Sì, l'ho passato.
Meaning
“Yes, I passed it.” The speaker confirms that they succeeded in something – an exam, a test, a driving lesson, etc. The object is understood from context and is masculine singular.
When to use
Use this sentence right after someone asks you whether you succeeded at a specific task (e.g., “Hai superato l’esame?”). It works in informal conversation and in slightly more formal settings when the context is clear.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Sìl'hopassato
Affirmation – Sì
Sì is the standard way to say “yes” in Italian, used to confirm a statement or answer a yes/no question.
Clitic pronoun – l'
l' is the elided form of the direct‑object pronoun lo (masculine singular). It is placed before the auxiliary verb in compound tenses.
Auxiliary verb – ho
Ho is the first‑person singular present of avere, used as the auxiliary for most transitive verbs in the passato prossimo.
Past participle agreement
When a direct‑object pronoun precedes the auxiliary, the past participle agrees in gender and number with that pronoun: l'ho **passato** (masc. sing.).
🗨In Conversation
Hai superato l'esame di matematica?
Did you pass the math exam?
Sì, l'ho passato.
Yes, I passed it.
✕Common Mistakes
Sì, l'ho passata.
Use the masculine form passato when the omitted object is masculine (esame, test). Passata would be correct only for a feminine object.
Sì, ho passato.
The direct‑object pronoun is required when the object is already known from context; omitting it sounds incomplete.
Sì, l'ho passati.
Passati is plural; use it only if the implied object is plural (e.g., “gli esami”).
↔Alternatives
Sì, ce l'ho fatta.
Yes, I made it.
Sì, l'ho superato.
Yes, I passed it.
Sì, ho superato l'esame.
Yes, I passed the exam.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, passing an exam is often celebrated with a coffee or a small gathering, and the phrase l'ho passato is very common among students. Remember that the past participle must match the gender of the implied object: l'ho passata for a feminine noun (e.g., la prova) and l'ho passati for a plural masculine group. For exams, many Italians actually prefer the verb superare (to overcome) – “l'ho superato” – which sounds a bit more formal.