acabar
“acabar” means “to finish” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to finish, to end
Also: to conclude, to complete
📝 In Action
Necesito acabar este informe antes de las cinco.
A1I need to finish this report before five o'clock.
La película acaba con un final inesperado.
A2The movie ends with an unexpected conclusion.
¿Cuándo acabas de trabajar hoy?
A1When are you finishing work today?
to run out, to be finished/used up
Also: to die
📝 In Action
Se me acabó la leche. ¿Puedes comprar más?
A2I ran out of milk. Can you buy more?
Cuando las vacaciones se acaben, tengo que volver al trabajo.
B1When the holidays are over, I have to return to work.
Si no bebes agua pronto, la batería del coche se acabará.
B1If you don't drink water soon, the car's battery will run out (of charge).
to end up
Also: to have just done something, to finally do something
📝 In Action
Después de muchos intentos, acabaron comprando el coche rojo.
B1After many attempts, they ended up buying the red car.
Acabo de llegar a la oficina, hace solo un minuto.
B1I have just arrived at the office, just a minute ago.
Si sigues mintiendo, vas a acabar metiéndote en problemas.
B2If you keep lying, you are going to end up getting yourself into trouble.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "acabar" in Spanish:
i complete→they end→they finish→to complete→to conclude→to die→to end→to finish→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: acabar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'acabar' to mean that a resource is completely gone?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Vulgar Latin *accapāre*, which means 'to reach the head' or 'to bring to the head/end.' This reflects the idea of reaching the final point of something.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'acabar' and 'terminar'?
They are nearly identical! Both mean 'to finish' or 'to end.' 'Acabar' is slightly more common in everyday conversation, while 'terminar' can sometimes feel a bit more formal, but you can usually use them interchangeably.
Why does 'acabar' sometimes have 'se' and sometimes not?
When you are the one doing the finishing, you don't use 'se' (Acabé mi trabajo = I finished my work). When the thing itself runs out, breaks down, or reaches its natural end, you must use 'se' (Se acabó el tiempo = Time ran out).