Acabar vs. Terminar: to finish
Two Spanish verbs, acabar and terminar, both mean "to finish," but they are used in slightly different ways. Here are the key differences:
- Acabar often implies that something has just been completed or came to an end naturally. It can also be used in the construction acabar de + [infinitive] to express "to have just done something."
- Terminar is more neutral and formal, focusing on the act of completing or bringing something to an end, regardless of timing.
| Aspect | Acabar | Terminar |
|---|
| Core meaning | to finish, to come to an end, to run out | to finish, to end, to complete |
| Focus | natural or recent completion; finality; sometimes "run out of" | deliberate completion or ending of an action or event |
| Common structures | acabar de + infinitive (to have just …); acabar + noun | terminar + noun; terminar de + infinitive |
| Formality | more colloquial | more formal and neutral |
| Example | Acabo de comer. (I have just eaten.)<br>Se acabó el papel. (The paper ran out.)<br>Acabé la tarea. (I finished the homework.) | Terminé la tarea. (I finished the homework.)<br>La reunión terminó a las 5. (The meeting ended at 5.) |
Usage Differences
. Talking About Just Having Done Something
- Use acabar de + [infinitive] to say you have just finished doing something.
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| Acabo de salir. | I just left. |
| Acabamos de llegar. | We just arrived. |
| Ella acaba de llamar. | She just called. |
- terminar de + [infinitive] means to complete an action, but does not imply that it was done just now.
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| Terminé de leer el libro. | I finished reading the book. |
| ¿Terminaste de trabajar? | Did you finish working? |
. Finishing Tasks or Activities
- Both acabar and terminar can be used with nouns or with de + infinitive to mean "finish ..."
| Example | Meaning |
|---|
| Acabé la tarea. / Terminé la tarea. | I finished the homework. |
| Acabo de escribir el informe. / Terminé de escribir el informe. | I just finished writing the report. / I finished writing the report. |
- In general, terminar is more common for explicitly marking the completion of tasks.
. Things Running Out or Coming to an End
- Use acabar to talk about something running out or coming to a natural end.
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| Se acabó el café. | The coffee ran out. |
| La película se acabó. | The movie ended. |
| Acabaron los boletos. | The tickets ran out. |
- Terminar is less common in this sense, except for scheduled events.
. Ending Events or Periods
- Use terminar to talk about events, periods, or processes coming to an end.
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| La clase termina a las 3. | Class ends at 3. |
| Terminó su turno. | He finished his shift. |
| La fiesta terminó tarde. | The party ended late. |
- You can use acabar in these contexts, but it is less neutral. Example: La fiesta se acabó (The party is over - perhaps suddenly or emphatically).
. Pronouns and Reflexive Form
- Both verbs can be used with direct object pronouns to indicate what was finished:
| Example | Spanish Pronoun Usage | English |
|---|
| La tarea ya la terminé. | la (homework) | I already finished it. |
| El libro lo acabé ayer. | lo (book) | I finished the book yesterday. |
- acabar is often used reflexively (acabarse) when something comes to an end by itself or runs out.
| Spanish | English |
|---|
| Se acabó el tiempo. | Time is up. |
| La leche se acabó. | The milk ran out. |
Summary
- Use acabar de + infinitive for "to have just done something."
- Use terminar de + infinitive (or terminar + noun) for completing actions or tasks.
- Use acabar + noun or reflexive acabarse to express something running out or ending naturally.
- Use terminar + noun for more formal or neutral statements about finishing or ending.
Both verbs mean "to finish," but context, formality, and nuance determine which one to use.
