finales
/fee-NAH-les/
endings
Visualizing the conclusion or endings of stories or events.
finales(noun)
endings
?conclusions of stories or events
,conclusions
?results or outcomes
final scenes
?in a play or movie
📝 In Action
Todos los cuentos tenían finales felices.
A2All the stories had happy endings.
Los finales de las películas de terror siempre me asustan.
B1The endings of horror movies always scare me.
💡 Grammar Points
Masculine Plural
Even though the English translation 'endings' sounds neutral, 'finales' is a masculine noun and requires masculine articles ('los').
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Stories and Films
This meaning is often used when discussing the resolution or conclusion of a narrative, like a book or a play.
Indicating a time that is late in a period, such as the end of a season or year.
finales(noun (in fixed phrase))
late in
?referring to a time period (month, year)
,towards the end of
?referring to a time period (month, year)
at the close of
?formal reference to a century or era
📝 In Action
Viajaremos a Madrid a finales de agosto.
A2We will travel to Madrid late in August.
La tecnología explotó a finales del siglo XX.
B1Technology exploded towards the end of the 20th century.
Mi contrato termina a finales de año.
A2My contract ends at the close of the year.
💡 Grammar Points
The Key Preposition 'A'
This phrase almost always uses the preposition 'a' ('a finales de') to mean 'at the time of the end.' Never use 'en' here.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Final' and 'Finales'
Mistake: "Using 'al final del mes' to mean 'late in the month.'"
Correction: Use 'a finales de mes' to mean the general period (the last week or so). 'Al final del mes' means the very last day or moment.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking About Time
'Finales' refers to the last part (or third) of a time period (like the last ten days of a month), not just the absolute last day.
Representing the championship games or finals in sports.
📝 In Action
Mi equipo llegó a las finales del campeonato nacional.
B1My team reached the finals of the national championship.
Las finales de la NBA son en junio.
A2The NBA Finals are in June.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: finales
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'finales' to refer to time?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'finales' plural when translating 'late August'?
In Spanish, when referring to the last part of a month or year, we treat it as a collection of 'ends' or 'final periods,' hence the plural form 'finales.' English simply uses the adjective 'late.'
Can I use 'el final' instead of 'los finales'?
Yes, but they mean different things. 'El final' is the singular end (e.g., 'el final de la película' - the end of the movie). 'Los finales' is the plural (e.g., 'los finales felices' - happy endings).