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Two small, friendly cartoon characters stand next to a tall, colorful tower built of blocks. One character is placing the final block on the very top, indicating the completion of their task.

acabaron

a-ka-BÁ-ron

VerbA1regular ar
they finished?completing a task,they ended?a meeting or event concluded
Also:they ran out (of)?often implying 'se acabaron',you all finished (ustedes)?formal address to a group

Quick Reference

infinitiveacabar
gerundacabando
past Participleacabado

📝 In Action

Ellos acabaron el proyecto justo a tiempo.

A1

They finished the project right on time.

Las clases acabaron hace una semana, por eso están de vacaciones.

A2

Classes ended a week ago; that's why they are on vacation.

¿A qué hora acabaron ustedes la reunión de ayer?

B1

What time did you all finish the meeting yesterday?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • terminaron (they finished/ended)
  • concluyeron (they concluded)

Antonyms

  • empezaron (they started)
  • iniciaron (they began)

Common Collocations

  • acabaron de comer – they just finished eating
  • acabaron la carrera – they finished the race/degree

Idioms & Expressions

  • acabar como el rosario de la aurora – To end badly, usually in a fight or disaster

💡 Grammar Points

Past Tense Action

Acabaron uses the simple past (preterite) tense, which means the action (finishing) started and stopped completely at a specific point in the past.

Using 'acabar de'

When you say 'acabaron de + [another verb]', it changes meaning to 'they had just finished' that action. Example: 'Acabaron de llegar' (They had just arrived).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Wrong Past Tense

Mistake: "Usando 'acababan' cuando quieren decir 'acabaron'."

Correction: 'Acabaron' (preterite) is for a single, completed moment. 'Acababan' (imperfect) means they were finishing or used to finish repeatedly.

⭐ Usage Tips

Referring to People or Things

Remember 'acabaron' can refer to a group of people (ellos/ellas) or a group of things if they are the subject (e.g., 'Los problemas acabaron' - The problems ended).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedacaba
yoacabo
túacabas
ellos/ellas/ustedesacaban
nosotrosacabamos
vosotrosacabáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedacababa
yoacababa
túacababas
ellos/ellas/ustedesacababan
nosotrosacabábamos
vosotrosacababais

preterite

él/ella/ustedacabó
yoacabé
túacabaste
ellos/ellas/ustedesacabaron
nosotrosacabamos
vosotrosacabasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedacabe
yoacabe
túacabes
ellos/ellas/ustedesacaben
nosotrosacabemos
vosotrosacabéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedacabara
yoacabara
túacabaras
ellos/ellas/ustedesacabaran
nosotrosacabáramos
vosotrosacabarais
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: acabaron

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'acabaron' to mean 'they had just finished'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

acabar(to finish, to end) - infinitive verb
el acabado(the finish, the completion) - noun
acabado/a(finished, complete) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'acabaron' and 'terminaron'?

Both mean 'they finished' or 'they ended' and are often interchangeable. 'Acabar' is sometimes considered slightly more common in daily speech, but using either one is correct.

How do I know if 'acabaron' refers to 'ellos' or 'ustedes'?

You can only tell from the context! If you are speaking formally to a group, it means 'you all finished.' If you are talking about a group you are not addressing, it means 'they finished.' If the subject is not mentioned, it's ambiguous, just like in English.