Inklingo

How to Say "to complete" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to complete” is “terminar” — use this when you are finishing all the parts of something, indicating the end of an activity or task.

English → Spanish

terminar

ter-mee-NARteɾ.miˈnaɾ

verbA1general
Use this when you are finishing all the parts of something, indicating the end of an activity or task.
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.

completar

kom-ple-TARkom.pleˈtaɾ

verbA1general
Choose this when you need to fill in missing parts to make something whole, like a task, goal, or process.
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.

acabar

ah-kah-BAHRa.kaˈβaɾ

verbA1general
Use this verb when finishing a specific project or task, often implying reaching its end.
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).

llenar

yeh-NAHRʎeˈnaɾ

verbA2general
This is specifically used when you need to fill in blanks or spaces, most commonly on forms or questionnaires.
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.).

concluir

kohn-kloo-EERkoŋ.kluˈiɾ

verbB1formal
Employ this when formally bringing a specific project, event, or cycle to its end, often with a sense of finality.
A person placing the final piece into a completed jigsaw puzzle.

Examples

El profesor concluyó la clase con una pregunta interesante.

The teacher finished the class with an interesting question.

Debemos concluir este informe para mañana por la mañana.

We must complete this report by tomorrow morning.

La ceremonia de premiación concluyó con fuegos artificiales.

The award ceremony ended with fireworks.

The 'Y' Spelling Change

For this verb, you need to swap the 'i' for a 'y' whenever the 'i' would be between two other vowels. This keeps the sound clear. For example, say 'él concluye' instead of 'concluie'.

Formal Tone

While 'terminar' is used for everyday tasks like finishing a sandwich, 'concluir' sounds a bit more polished and is often used for events, meetings, or academic work.

Missing the 'Y'

Mistake: “Él conclue el trabajo.”

Correction: Él concluye el trabajo. Remember that 'ir' verbs ending in a vowel (like u-ir) almost always add a 'y' in the present tense.

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

The most common confusion is between 'terminar', 'completar', and 'acabar'. While all mean 'to finish' or 'to complete', 'terminar' and 'acabar' often imply simply reaching the end of an action, while 'completar' suggests adding the missing parts to make something whole. Think of 'completar' as filling in the gaps.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.