terminan
/tehr-MEE-nahn/
they finish
They finish the task.
terminan(Verb)
they finish
?completing a task or activity
,you all finish
?formal or Latin American plural 'you'
,they end
?a process or event comes to a close
they conclude
?a meeting or discussion
📝 In Action
Los estudiantes terminan el examen a las diez.
A1The students finish the exam at ten o'clock.
Ellas siempre terminan su trabajo antes de la cena.
A2They (f.) always finish their work before dinner.
Ustedes terminan la fase uno, ¿verdad?
A2You all are finishing phase one, right?
💡 Grammar Points
Who is 'Terminan'?
'Terminan' is the action being done by 'ellos' (they, masculine/mixed), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all/y'all).
Structure with Nouns
You can follow 'terminan' directly with the thing being finished, like 'terminan el libro' (they finish the book).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Terminan' and 'Terminan de'
Mistake: "Usando 'terminan a comer' (They finish to eat)."
Correction: Use 'terminan de comer' (They finish eating). The little word 'de' must connect 'terminar' to another verb.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use for Schedules
Use 'terminan' frequently when talking about when events, classes, or shifts come to a close.
They end up at the destination.
terminan(Verb)
they end up
?arriving at a final state or place
,you all end up
?formal or Latin American plural 'you'
they result in
?describing an outcome
📝 In Action
Si no hacen caso, terminan en problemas.
B1If they don't listen, they end up in trouble.
Después de tanta discusión, siempre terminan pidiéndose disculpas.
B2After so much arguing, they always end up apologizing to each other.
Los caminos terminan todos en el mismo pueblo.
B1The roads all end up in the same village.
💡 Grammar Points
Ending Up Somewhere
When 'terminan' means 'to end up' in a physical location or situation, it is almost always followed by the preposition 'en' (in/at).
Ending Up Doing Something
To say 'they end up doing something,' you often follow 'terminan' with the gerund (the -ando/-iendo form of the second verb), like 'terminan bailando' (they end up dancing).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'en'
Mistake: "Decir 'terminan el hospital' (They end up the hospital)."
Correction: Say 'terminan en el hospital' (They end up *in* the hospital). The 'en' is necessary for location.
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Consequences
This meaning is perfect for describing the final, often unexpected, consequence of a series of actions.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
preterite
present
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: terminan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'terminan' to mean 'they end up' (Definition 2)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'terminan' used for people or things?
'Terminan' can be used for both! You can say 'Los niños terminan la tarea' (The kids finish the homework) or 'Las vacaciones terminan pronto' (The vacations end soon).
If I am talking to a group of friends in Spain, should I use 'terminan'?
No. In Spain, if you are talking informally to a group of friends ('vosotros'), you would use 'termináis'. 'Terminan' is reserved for formal groups ('ustedes') in Spain, or for any group in Latin America.