acaba
“acaba” means “he/she/it finishes” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
he/she/it finishes, he/she/it ends
Also: he/she/it runs out of
📝 In Action
La película acaba a las diez.
A1The movie ends at ten.
Mi hermana siempre acaba la tarea muy rápido.
A2My sister always finishes her homework very quickly.
El concierto acaba con mi canción favorita.
B1The concert ends with my favorite song.
he/she/it has just
📝 In Action
Mi padre acaba de llegar a casa.
A2My father has just arrived home.
El teléfono acaba de sonar.
A2The phone just rang.
Usted acaba de recibir un paquete.
B1You have just received a package.
finish!
Also: end it!
📝 In Action
¡Acaba tu comida, por favor!
A2Finish your food, please!
Acaba el capítulo y luego vamos al parque.
B1Finish the chapter and then we'll go to the park.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "acaba" in Spanish:
end it!→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: acaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly means 'He has just eaten'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Vulgar Latin '*accapāre*', which comes from 'ad-' (meaning 'to') and 'capum' (meaning 'head'). The original idea was 'to bring something to a head,' which evolved into our modern meaning of 'to finish' or 'to complete'.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'acabar' and 'terminar'?
They are very similar and often you can use either one for 'to finish'. However, there are two key differences. First, only 'acabar' is used in the special phrase 'acabar de' to mean 'to have just done' something. Second, 'terminar' can sometimes feel more like you actively completed a defined task, while 'acabar' can feel more like something coming to a natural conclusion. But for most everyday situations, they work the same!
Is 'acaba' always about finishing? What about 'acabar con'?
Great question! When you add 'con', the meaning can get stronger. 'Acabar con algo' can mean 'to put an end to something' or 'to destroy something.' For example, 'Debemos acabar con la contaminación' means 'We must put an end to pollution'.