terminaste
ter-mi-NAS-te
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Terminaste la cena antes de las ocho?
A1Did you finish dinner before eight o'clock?
Me dijiste que terminaste el proyecto hace dos días.
A2You told me you finished the project two days ago.
Cuando terminaste tus estudios, ¿te sentiste aliviado?
B1When you finished your studies, did you feel relieved?
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the Speaker
'Terminaste' is always directed at the person you call 'tú' (the informal 'you'). If you were talking to someone formally (Usted), you would say 'terminó'.
The Simple Past Tense
This form describes a single, completed action in the past, like checking an item off a list. It means the finishing happened and is completely over.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Past Tenses
Mistake: "Using 'terminabas' instead of 'terminaste' for a completed action."
Correction: 'Terminabas' (imperfect) describes something you used to do or were doing. 'Terminaste' (preterite) describes a specific moment of completion.
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking a Quick Question
Because the ending '-aste' clearly marks the 'tú' subject, you can simply ask '¿Terminaste?' to mean 'Did you finish?' without needing to say 'tú'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: terminaste
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'terminaste'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'terminaste' used for actions that happened over a long time?
Not usually. 'Terminaste' (simple past) is best for specific moments in the past, like 'you finished the marathon.' If you are talking about something you *were* finishing over a long period, you would likely use the imperfect tense, 'terminabas'.
Does 'terminaste' always mean 'finish'?
Its core meaning is 'to bring to an end' or 'to finish.' It is also commonly used to talk about ending a relationship ('terminaste con tu novio').