acaba
/ah-KAH-bah/
he/she/it finishes
Acaba means 'he/she/it finishes' or 'it ends,' used when completing a task or reaching a conclusion.
acaba(Verb)
he/she/it finishes
?completing an action or task
,he/she/it ends
?coming to a conclusion or stopping
he/she/it runs out of
?used with 'con' (e.g., 'acaba con la paciencia' - it runs out of patience)
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is 'acaba'?
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).
⭐ Usage Tips
Finishing vs. Ending
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!
Used in the structure 'acaba de [verb]', it means 'he/she/it has just' performed an action.
acaba(Verb Phrase)
he/she/it has just
?always followed by 'de' and another verb's base form
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Just Happened' Formula
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'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'de'
Mistake: "Ella acaba llamar."
Correction: Ella acaba de llamar. Don't forget the little word 'de'! It's the magic ingredient that gives this phrase its special meaning.
⭐ Usage Tips
Sound like a Native Speaker
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.
Acaba is also the informal command ('tú') meaning 'finish!' or 'complete it!'
acaba(Verb)
finish!
?an informal command given to one person ('tú')
end it!
?telling someone to stop something
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Giving Friendly Commands
'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'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Tone Matters
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.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: acaba
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly means 'He has just eaten'?
📚 More Resources
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'.