acabe

ah-KAH-behaˈkaβe

“acabe” means “that I finish” in Spanish (present subjunctive, first person singular).

that I finish, that he/she finish, Finish! (formal)Also: end up

VerbB1regular ar

A close-up view of a person's hand placing the final, bright red piece into a colorful jigsaw puzzle, symbolizing the completion of a task.

infinitiveacabar

gerundacabando

past Participleacabado

📝 In Action

Espero que acabe la reunión pronto.

I hope that the meeting finishes soon.

Acabe el informe antes de salir, por favor.

Finish the report before leaving, please. (Formal command)

No quiero que acabe la película.

I don't want the movie to end.

Aunque acabe cansado, lo haré.

Even if I end up tired, I will do it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

terminar (to finish)
finalizar (to conclude)

Antonyms

empezar (to start)
comenzar (to begin)

Common Collocations

que acabe el mes – for the month to end
antes de que acabe – before it finishes

Indicative

Present

yoacabo

túacabas

él/ella/ustedacaba

nosotrosacabamos

vosotrosacabáis

ellos/ellas/ustedesacaban

Imperfect

yoacababa

túacababas

él/ella/ustedacababa

nosotrosacabábamos

vosotrosacababais

ellos/ellas/ustedesacababan

Preterite

yoacabé

túacabaste

él/ella/ustedacabó

nosotrosacabamos

vosotrosacabasteis

ellos/ellas/ustedesacabaron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yoacabe

túacabes

él/ella/ustedacabe

nosotrosacabemos

vosotrosacabéis

ellos/ellas/ustedesacaben

Imperfect Subjunctive

yoacabara

túacabaras

él/ella/ustedacabara

nosotrosacabáramos

vosotrosacabarais

ellos/ellas/ustedesacabaran

View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "acabe" in Spanish:

end up i finished

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: acabe

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'acabe' as a formal command?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family

acabar(to finish) — Verb

acabado(finish, ending (noun) or finished (adjective)) — Noun / Adjective

🎵 Rhymes

hable cabe

📚 Etymology

Comes from the Vulgar Latin *accapāre*, meaning 'to seize' or 'to take to an end,' which eventually evolved into the modern sense of 'to finish' or 'complete.'

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: acabarFrench (Old): achaper

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'acabe' ever used to mean something other than 'finish'?

Yes! When used with the preposition 'de' (acabar de), it means 'to have just finished' doing something. For example, 'Acabo de comer' means 'I just ate.' However, the form 'acabe' is rarely used in this specific 'acabar de' structure.

Why does 'acabe' sound like 'cabe' (from caber)?

They sound identical! 'Acabe' is related to finishing, while 'cabe' is the special verb form for 'caber' (to fit), usually meaning 'it fits' or 'that it fits.' You must use context to know which one is being used.