terminó
“terminó” means “finished” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
finished, completed
Also: got done with
📝 In Action
Él terminó la cena a las ocho en punto.
A1He finished dinner exactly at eight o'clock.
Usted terminó el informe justo antes de la fecha límite.
A2You (formal) completed the report just before the deadline.
La máquina terminó su ciclo de lavado.
A1The machine finished its wash cycle.
ended, broke up
Also: was over
📝 In Action
La película terminó con un giro inesperado.
A2The movie ended with an unexpected twist.
Su relación terminó después de tres años.
B1Their relationship ended (or: broke up) after three years.
¿A qué hora terminó la reunión de ayer?
A2What time did the meeting yesterday end?
ended up, wound up
Also: resulted in
📝 In Action
No tenía planes, pero terminó visitando a su tía.
B2He had no plans, but he ended up visiting his aunt.
Ella empezó a correr y terminó ganando el maratón.
B2She started running and wound up winning the marathon.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: terminó
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'terminó' to describe a final outcome or consequence?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'terminare', meaning 'to limit, bound, or finish'. It has been a core word for expressing completion throughout the Romance languages.
First recorded: Around the 13th century in Spanish, though the Latin root is ancient.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'terminó' and 'acabó'?
'Terminó' and 'acabó' are almost always interchangeable when talking about finishing a task ('He finished the book'). However, 'terminó' sounds slightly more formal, and 'acabó' is sometimes preferred when talking about running out of something (e.g., 'se acabó el café' - the coffee ran out).
Why does 'terminó' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is crucial! It tells you that the stress falls on the last syllable, differentiating it from the present tense 'termino' (I finish). The accent is standard for the 'él/ella/usted' simple past form of all regular AR verbs.