Inklingo

How to Say "to complete" in Spanish

English → Spanish

terminar

/ter-mee-NAR//teɾ.miˈnaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'terminar' when you are finishing all the parts of something or reaching the end of an activity.
A child placing the final piece into a colorful jigsaw puzzle, completing the picture.

Examples

Tengo que terminar mi tarea.

I have to finish my homework.

¿A qué hora termina la película?

What time does the movie end?

Cuando termines de leer, apaga la luz.

When you finish reading, turn off the light.

Saying you 'finished doing' something

To say you finished an action, use the pattern 'terminar de' followed by the base form of the other verb. For example, 'Terminé de comer' means 'I finished eating'.

Forgetting 'de'

Mistake: “Voy a terminar leer el libro.”

Correction: Voy a terminar de leer el libro. When you follow 'terminar' with another action (verb), you almost always need the little word 'de' in between.

acabar

ah-kah-BAHR/a.kaˈβaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'acabar' to indicate the completion of a project, task, or process, often implying a sense of finality.
A smiling bear cub completes a wooden block tower by placing the final block on top.

Examples

Necesito acabar este informe antes de las cinco.

I need to finish this report before five o'clock.

La película acaba con un final inesperado.

The movie ends with an unexpected conclusion.

¿Cuándo acabas de trabajar hoy?

When are you finishing work today?

Simple Usage

Use 'acabar' just like 'finish' in English. If you finished a task, put the task right after the verb: Acabé la cena (I finished dinner).

completar

/kom-ple-TAR//kom.pleˈtaɾ/

verbA1general
Use 'completar' when you are adding missing parts to something to make it whole, or fulfilling a requirement.
A cheerful cartoon character holding a marker and drawing a large green checkmark over a simple drawing of a completed task list.

Examples

Necesito completar la tarea antes de irme.

I need to complete the homework before I leave.

Ella completó el maratón en menos de cuatro horas.

She finished the marathon in less than four hours.

¿Puedes completar las instrucciones que faltan?

Can you complete the missing instructions?

A Regular Verb

Since 'completar' is a regular '-ar' verb, it follows the most common Spanish conjugation pattern, making it easy to learn.

Using 'Terminar' vs. 'Completar'

Mistake: “Using 'Terminar' when you mean 'to make whole' (e.g., 'Terminar la colección').”

Correction: 'Completar' often implies filling a gap or reaching 100%, while 'terminar' just means stopping or ending something.

llenar

/yeh-NAHR//ʎeˈnaɾ/

verbA2general
Use 'llenar' specifically when you are filling something up, like a container, a space, or a document.
A hand holding a pen is actively filling in blank lines on a simple document or form.

Examples

¿Podría llenar este formulario de inscripción, por favor?

Could you fill out this registration form, please?

Debes llenar todos los campos con tu información personal.

You must fill in all the fields with your personal information.

Transitive Verb

Like the literal meaning, 'llenar' always needs an object here: you fill what? (The form, the survey, etc.).

Choosing between 'terminar,' 'acabar,' and 'completar'

Learners often struggle to distinguish between 'terminar,' 'acabar,' and 'completar' as they are frequently interchangeable. While 'terminar' and 'acabar' focus more on the end of an activity, 'completar' emphasizes making something whole or fulfilling requirements. However, in many everyday situations, any of these three can work.

Related Translations

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