How to Say "ending" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “ending” is “fin” — use 'fin' for the general conclusion or end of something, especially a story, movie, or a period of time.
fin
feenˈfin
Examples
Este es el fin del libro.
This is the end of the book.
¿Qué haces este fin de semana?
What are you doing this weekend?
Al fin terminamos el proyecto.
At last, we finished the project.
Masculine Gender
'Fin' is a masculine noun, so you always say 'el fin' (the end) or 'un fin' (an end). This is true even in the very common phrase 'el fin de semana'.
'Fin' vs. 'Final'
Mistake: “Me gustó el fin de la película.”
Correction: Me gustó el final de la película. While 'fin' can mean 'end', when talking about the ending of a story, movie, or play, 'el final' is much more common. Think of 'fin' as the point in time something stops, and 'final' as the concluding part itself.
terminando
ter-mee-NAN-dohtermiˈnando
Examples
Estoy terminando mi café ahora mismo.
I am finishing my coffee right now.
Ellos están terminando el proyecto esta tarde.
They are finishing the project this afternoon.
Sigue terminando tus deberes y luego podemos salir.
Keep finishing your homework and then we can go out.
The '-ing' Ending
In Spanish, adding '-ando' to a verb is like adding '-ing' in English. It describes an action that is happening right now.
Using 'Estar'
To say 'I am finishing,' you pair 'terminando' with the verb 'estar' (to be).
Ending vs. terminando
Mistake: “Using 'terminando' as a noun, like 'El terminando de la película fue triste.'”
Correction: Use 'el final' for the noun. 'Terminando' is only used for the action of finishing.
acabando
ah-kah-BAHN-dohakaˈβando
Examples
Estoy acabando mi tarea ahora mismo.
I am finishing my homework right now.
La película está acabando, vamos a salir.
The movie is ending, let's head out.
Se nos está acabando el tiempo.
We are running out of time.
The '-ando' Ending
This is called the 'gerund.' It works like the English '-ing.' You use it to talk about actions that are happening right now, usually paired with 'estar' (to be).
Confusing with 'just done'
Mistake: “Using 'estoy acabando de comer' to mean 'I just finished eating.'”
Correction: Use 'acabo de comer' for things you just did. 'Estoy acabando' means you are still in the process of finishing.
final
fee-NAHLfiˈnal
Examples
El final de la película fue muy triste.
The end of the movie was very sad.
Al final del día, estoy muy cansado.
At the end of the day, I am very tired.
No me gustó el final del libro.
I didn't like the book's ending.
Always Masculine: 'el final'
When 'final' means 'the end' or 'the ending', it's a masculine word. Always use 'el' or 'un' with it: 'el final de la calle' (the end of the street).
Mixing up Genders
Mistake: “Me gustó la final de la serie.”
Correction: Me gustó el final de la serie. The ending of a show or book is 'el final' (masculine).
clausura
klau-SOO-rahklau̯ˈsuɾa
Examples
La clausura del festival de cine será este domingo.
The closing ceremony of the film festival will be this Sunday.
Todos los estudiantes asistieron al acto de clausura del curso.
All the students attended the closing event of the school year.
El director pronunció un discurso muy emotivo en la clausura.
The director gave a very emotional speech at the closing ceremony.
Using 'Clausura' as a noun
Even though it comes from a verb, treat this as a 'thing.' Use 'la' before it because it is a feminine noun.
Ceremonies vs. Actions
When you want to talk about the party or event at the end, 'clausura' is better than 'cierre,' which sounds more like a shop closing.
Don't use it for 'The End' of a book
Mistake: “La clausura del libro fue triste.”
Correction: El final del libro fue triste. Use 'final' for stories and 'clausura' for organized events.
rompiendo
rrom-pyén-doromˈpjendo
Examples
Están rompiendo el silencio con su música alta.
They are breaking the silence with their loud music.
Ella está rompiendo con todas las tradiciones familiares.
She is breaking with all the family traditions.
desenlace
deh-sen-LAH-sehdesenˈlaθe
Examples
El desenlace de la película fue totalmente inesperado.
The ending of the movie was totally unexpected.
Los ciudadanos esperan un desenlace pacífico a la crisis.
The citizens hope for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
En el desenlace de la novela, el detective descubre al culpable.
In the resolution of the novel, the detective discovers the culprit.
A 'Tie' to the Story
This word comes from 'des-' (undoing) and 'enlace' (a tie or link). Think of it as 'untying the knot' of a complicated plot.
Always Masculine
Even though it ends in -e, which can sometimes be tricky, this word is always masculine: 'el desenlace'.
Desenlace vs. Fin
Mistake: “Using 'desenlace' for the physical end of a road.”
Correction: Use 'fin' or 'final' for physical ends. 'Desenlace' is only for the results or resolutions of events and stories.
Fin vs. Final vs. Desenlace
Related Translations
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