acabar
/aˈkaβaɾ/To finish, complete, or end something
Acabé mi trabajo a las cinco.
I finished my work at five.
¿Has acabado de comer?
Have you finished eating?
Commonly used with reflexive pronouns (e.g., 'acabarse') to indicate something is finished or exhausted.
To end up (in a certain state or place)
Acabó en el hospital después del accidente.
He ended up in the hospital after the accident.
Acabamos cansados después del viaje.
We ended up tired after the trip.
Often used to describe an unintended or unexpected outcome.
Collocations
Synonyms
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Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive Use
The reflexive form 'acabarse' (e.g., 'El dinero se acabó') emphasizes that something is exhausted or used up, while the non-reflexive form (e.g., 'Acabé el proyecto') focuses on completing an action.
⚡Gold Rule
Preposition Choice
Use 'acabar de' to indicate recent completion (e.g., 'Acabo de comer') and 'acabar con' to indicate finishing something off (e.g., 'Acabé con el trabajo').
📖Word Origin
From Latin 'accāpāre', meaning 'to seize' or 'to take hold of', later evolving to mean 'to finish' in Spanish.
📝Usage Notes
The verb 'acabar' is often used with the preposition 'de' to indicate recent completion (e.g., 'Acabo de llegar' = 'I just arrived').