This is the form of 'acabar' for 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (the formal 'you'). You also use it for any single thing, like 'la película' (the movie).

Who is 'acaba'?

You can use 'acaba' both when a person finishes something ('Él acaba la cena') and when a thing ends on its own ('La clase acaba'). It's very flexible!

Finishing vs. Ending

Extremely common. One of the first verbs you'll learn and use.

Forgetting 'de'

To say something just happened, use this simple recipe: [form of acabar] + 'de' + [base form of another verb]. For example, 'acaba de comer' means 'he/she just ate'.

The 'Just Happened' Formula

While you could say 'Él comió recientemente' (He ate recently), it sounds much more natural to say 'Él acaba de comer' (He just ate). Use this structure to talk about the very recent past.

Sound like a Native Speaker

A super common and essential structure for sounding natural.

'Acaba' is how you tell a friend, family member, or someone you call 'tú' to finish something. For a more formal command (for 'usted'), you would say 'acabe'.

Giving Friendly Commands

Like in English, saying 'Finish!' can sound a bit demanding. Adding 'por favor' (please) or using a friendly tone of voice makes it much softer.

Tone Matters

Common in everyday commands and instructions.

Learn the meaning of 'acaba' in Spanish. See examples of 'acaba' for 'he/she finishes', the command 'finish!', and the crucial phrase 'acaba de' (has just). Includes full conjugation and usage tips for Spanish learners.

acaba

Complete Conjugation Tables

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

preterite

imperfect

future

conditional

subjunctive

present

imperfect

imperative

affirmative

negative

Practice Conjugations