terminar
/ter-mee-NAR/
to finish
Terminar (to finish) is often used when completing a task, like finishing a puzzle.
terminar(Verb)
to finish
?completing a task or activity
,to end
?when something comes to a conclusion
to complete
?finishing all parts of something
📝 In Action
Tengo que terminar mi tarea.
A1I have to finish my homework.
¿A qué hora termina la película?
A1What time does the movie end?
Cuando termines de leer, apaga la luz.
A2When you finish reading, turn off the light.
El concierto terminó con fuegos artificiales.
B1The concert ended with fireworks.
💡 Grammar Points
Saying you 'finished doing' something
To say you finished an action, use the pattern 'terminar de' followed by the base form of the other verb. For example, 'Terminé de comer' means 'I finished eating'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'de'
Mistake: "Voy a terminar leer el libro."
Correction: Voy a terminar de leer el libro. When you follow 'terminar' with another action (verb), you almost always need the little word 'de' in between.
⭐ Usage Tips
For Actions and Events
Use 'terminar' not just for things you do, but also for events that end on their own. For instance, 'La clase termina a las 2' (The class ends at 2) or 'El verano está terminando' (Summer is ending).
Terminar con alguien (to break up with someone) refers to ending a romantic relationship.
terminar(Verb)
to break up with
?ending a romantic relationship
to end things with
?ending a romantic relationship
📝 In Action
Laura terminó con su novio la semana pasada.
A2Laura broke up with her boyfriend last week.
No quiero terminar contigo, te amo.
B1I don't want to break up with you, I love you.
Dicen que van a terminar porque discuten mucho.
B1They say they are going to break up because they argue a lot.
💡 Grammar Points
The Key Phrase: 'terminar con'
To talk about breaking up, the magic formula is 'terminar con' followed by the person. For example, 'Él terminó con ella' (He broke up with her).
⭐ Usage Tips
Mutual or One-Sided?
You can say 'Ellos terminaron' (They broke up) to show it was a mutual decision or the end result. To show who initiated it, you use 'terminar con [alguien]'.
Used reflexively, terminar (to end up) describes the final, often unexpected, outcome or location of a process.
terminar(Verb)
to end up
?describing a final result or location
to wind up
?describing an often unexpected outcome
📝 In Action
Después de perdernos, terminamos en un pueblo pequeño.
B1After getting lost, we ended up in a small town.
Si sigues gastando así, terminarás sin dinero.
B2If you keep spending like that, you'll end up with no money.
Empezó como asistente, pero terminó siendo el director de la empresa.
B2He started as an assistant, but he ended up being the company director.
💡 Grammar Points
Describing Final Outcomes
This use of 'terminar' is perfect for explaining the final, often unexpected, result of a situation. You can follow it with a place ('en la playa'), a state ('cansado'), or another action ('siendo amigos').
⭐ Usage Tips
'Acabar' vs. 'Terminar'
In this specific meaning of 'to end up', 'acabar' is a very common synonym. You could say 'Acabamos en un pueblo pequeño' and it would mean the same thing.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: terminar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence means 'She broke up with him'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'terminar' and 'acabar'?
They are very similar and often you can use either one. 'Terminar' is a general word for finishing or completing something. 'Acabar' can sometimes feel more immediate, like something *just* happened ('Acabo de llegar' - 'I just arrived'). But when talking about finishing a task like homework, both 'Terminé la tarea' and 'Acabé la tarea' are perfect.
How do I say 'I finished reading the book'?
The most natural way is to use the pattern 'terminar de' + base verb. So you would say, 'Terminé de leer el libro'. You could also just say 'Terminé el libro', which is also correct and understood.