How to Say "finishing" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “finishing” is “terminando” — use 'terminando' when completing a general activity or action, like finishing a meal, a conversation, or a period of time..
terminando
/ter-mee-NAN-doh//termiˈnando/
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-doh//akaˈβando/
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.
Choosing Between 'Terminando' and 'Acabando'
Related Translations
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