acabó
/ah-kah-BOH/
finished
This image shows a completed task, illustrating that the action 'acabó' (finished).
acabó(Verb)
finished
?completed an action
,ended
?a movie, story, or event
completed
?a task or project
📝 In Action
La película ya acabó.
A1The movie already ended.
Ella acabó su tarea a las diez.
A2She finished her homework at ten.
El concierto acabó muy tarde.
A2The concert finished very late.
💡 Grammar Points
Talking About a Completed Past
'Acabó' is used for actions that were finished at a specific point in the past. That little accent on the 'ó' is key—it moves the action from the present to the past.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent
Mistake: "La película acabo."
Correction: La película acabó. Without the accent, 'acabo' means 'I finish' right now. The accent mark is what tells us a third person (he, she, it) did something in the past.
'Acabó' vs. 'Acababa'
Mistake: "Using 'acabó' for an ongoing past situation."
Correction: Use 'acabó' for a single, completed event ('The party ended at midnight'). Use 'acababa' for things that were in the process of ending or used to end ('The show was ending when I arrived').
The empty jar shows that the supplies 'se acabó' (ran out).
acabó(Verb)
ran out
?no more of something is left
it's over
?used to declare a situation is finished for good
📝 In Action
Se acabó el café esta mañana.
A2The coffee ran out this morning.
Se acabó la paciencia.
B1The patience ran out.
Se acabó. No quiero hablar más del tema.
B1It's over. I don't want to talk about the subject anymore.
💡 Grammar Points
The Little Word 'Se'
When you see 'se' before 'acabó', it often means something ran out by itself. 'Se acabó el pan' means 'The bread ran out,' not that a specific person actively finished it.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Powerful Phrase
Saying '¡Se acabó!' by itself is a strong way to end a discussion or declare that something is completely finished.
The hiker reaching the village illustrates how the journey 'acabó' (ended up) in a specific place.
acabó(Verb)
ended up
?the final result or location
finished up
?the final state of being
📝 In Action
Después de mucho discutir, acabó aceptando la oferta.
B1After arguing a lot, he ended up accepting the offer.
El equipo empezó mal, pero acabó ganando el campeonato.
B2The team started badly but ended up winning the championship.
Se perdió en el bosque y acabó en un pueblo desconocido.
B1He got lost in the forest and ended up in an unknown town.
⭐ Usage Tips
Showing the Final Result
Use 'acabó' followed by a verb in its '-ando' or '-iendo' form (like 'ganando') to explain how a situation finally concluded.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: acabó
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence best translates to 'The sugar ran out'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'acabó' and 'terminó'?
For many situations, like 'the movie ended,' they mean the same thing and you can use either one. 'Terminó' can sometimes sound a little more formal. However, 'acabar' has special uses, like 'acabar de' (to have just done something) or 'se acabó' (it ran out), where 'terminar' isn't a perfect substitute.
I see 'acabó de...' a lot. What does that mean?
'Acabar de + [verb]' is a super useful structure that means 'to have just done something'. For example, 'Él acabó de llegar' means 'He just arrived'. It uses the form of 'acabar' to show who just did the action.