terminó
/tehr-mee-NOH/
finished
The figure finished (terminó) the puzzle when the last piece was placed.
terminó(Verb)
finished
?completed a task
,completed
?fulfilled a requirement
got done with
?informal task completion
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Simple Past Tense
This form 'terminó' is the simple past (preterite) and is used for actions that started and finished completely at a specific point in the past, like 'He finished at 5 PM'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong past tense
Mistake: "Él terminaba su tarea. (Using imperfect)"
Correction: Él terminó su tarea. (Use simple past/preterite 'terminó' when the action is a single, completed event in the past.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Easy Pronunciation
Remember the accent mark on the 'o' (ó). This marks the stress on the last syllable, which is typical for the simple past tense in the third person.
The performance ended (terminó) when the curtains closed.
terminó(Verb)
ended
?an event or period
,broke up
?a romantic relationship
was over
?an event or period
📝 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?
💡 Grammar Points
Intransitive Use
When used this way, 'terminó' often doesn't need an object. It describes the subject itself reaching its conclusion (e.g., 'The party ended').
The path ended up (terminó) at the armchair, defining the final outcome.
terminó(Verb)
ended up
?as a final result or outcome
,wound up
?informal, final result
resulted in
?consequence
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Structure: Terminar + Gerund
To express the idea of 'ending up' or 'eventually doing' something, Spanish uses 'terminó' followed by the -ndo form (the gerund, like 'terminando' or 'haciendo').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up the outcome verb form
Mistake: "Terminó a hacer la tarea. (Using the infinitive 'a hacer')"
Correction: Terminó haciendo la tarea. (The verb describing the outcome must use the -ndo form.)
🔄 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
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.