How to Say "they ended" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “they ended” is “acabaron” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Ellos acabaron el proyecto justo a tiempo.
They finished the project right on time.
Las clases acabaron hace una semana, por eso están de vacaciones.
Classes ended a week ago; that's why they are on vacation.
¿A qué hora acabaron ustedes la reunión de ayer?
What time did you all finish the meeting yesterday?
Past Tense Action
Acabaron uses the simple past (preterite) tense, which means the action (finishing) started and stopped completely at a specific point in the past.
Using 'acabar de'
When you say 'acabaron de + [another verb]', it changes meaning to 'they had just finished' that action. Example: 'Acabaron de llegar' (They had just arrived).
Using the Wrong Past Tense
Mistake: “Usando 'acababan' cuando quieren decir 'acabaron'.”
Correction: 'Acabaron' (preterite) is for a single, completed moment. 'Acababan' (imperfect) means they were finishing or used to finish repeatedly.
Related Translations
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