terminar

Preterite vs. Imperfect 
Cheat Sheet
PREMIUM
terminar(
tehr
-
mee
-
nahr
)
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g. The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
1. (to come to an end or bring something to an end)
a. to end
Solo quedan dos episodios para que termine la temporada.There are only two episodes left before the season ends.
b. to finish
¿Ya terminaste? ¡Qué rápido!Have you finished already? That was quick!
2. (to end a relationship; used with "con")
a. to break up with
Terminó con su novia porque necesitaba espacio.He broke up with his girlfriend because he needed space.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
transitive verb
3. (to bring to an end)
a. to finish
¿Ya has terminado la tarea?Have you finished your homework yet?
b. to be done with
¿A qué hora crees que terminarás la traducción?What time do you think you'll be done with the translation?
4. (to result)
a. to end up (used with "-ing")
¿Sabías que Sandy y Jake terminaron casándose?Did you know Sandy and Jake ended up getting married?
terminarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g. Te ves cansado.).
pronominal verb
5. (to complete)
a. to finish
Termínate el desayuno y vámonos.Finish your breakfast and let's go.
6. (to have none left)
a. to run out
Espero que lleguemos a nuestro destino antes de que al coche se le termine la gasolina.I hope we get to where we're going before the car runs out of gas.
Copyright © Curiosity Media Inc.
terminar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g. I bought a book.).
transitive verb
1. (general)
a. to finish
terminamos el viaje en San Franciscowe ended our journey in San Francisco
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g. The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
2. (acabar)
a. to end, to finish
3. (tren)
a. to stop, to terminate
¿cómo termina la historia?how does the story end o finish?
terminar conto put an end to
terminar de hacer algoto finish doing something
terminar ento end in
4. (reñir)
a. to finish, to split up
¡hemos terminado!it's over!
5. (ir a parar)
a.
terminó de camarero/en la cárcelhe ended up as a waiter/in jail
terminar por hacer algoto end up doing something
6. (llegar a)
a.
no termino de entenderloI still can't quite understand it
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g. Te ves cansado.).
pronominal verb
7. (finalizar)
a. to finish
8. (agotarse)
a. to run out
se nos ha terminado el azúcarwe've run out of sugar, the sugar has run out
9. (acabar; comida, revista)
a. to finish off
me terminé la novela en una nocheI finished off the novel in one night
Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited
terminar
transitive verb
to finish
he terminado el libro I've finished the book; no me ha dado tiempo a terminar el vestido I haven't had time to finish the dress; quiso terminar sus días en Marbella she wanted to end her days in Marbella
intransitive verb
1 [+persona] (en una acción, un trabajo) to finish
¿todavía no has terminado? haven't you finished yet?; ¿quieres dejar que termine? would you mind letting me finish?
¿te falta mucho para terminar?
terminar de hacer algo to finish doing sth; stop doing sth
cuando termine de hablar when he finishes o stops speaking; terminó de llenar el vaso con helado he topped o filled the glass up with ice-cream; terminaba de salir del baño she had just got out of the bath
no termino de entender por qué lo hizo I just can't understand why she did it
no me cae mal, pero no termina de convencerme I don't dislike him, but I'm not too sure about him
(de una forma determinada) to end up
terminé rendido I ended up exhausted; terminaron peleándose they ended up fighting; terminó mal he ended up badly; terminó diciendo que ... he ended by saying that ...
terminar con
han terminado con todas las provisiones they've finished off all the supplies; hace falta algo que termine con el problema del paro we need something to put an end to the problem of unemployment; un cáncer terminó con su vida cancer killed him; he terminado con Andrés I've broken up with o finished with Andrés; ¡estos niños van a terminar conmigo! these children will be the death of me!
terminar por hacer algo to end up doing sth
seguro que terminará por dimitir I bet he ends up resigning
terminó marchándose enfadado
2 [+obra, acto] to end
al terminar el acto
¿cómo termina la película? how does the film end?
me gustó la novela, aunque no termina bien
la ceremonia terminó con un baile the ceremony ended with a dance; esto va a terminar en tragedia this will end in tragedy; estoy deseando que termine este año I can't wait for this year to be over o to end; ¿a qué hora termina la clase? what time does the class finish o end?
3 [+objeto, palabra]
terminar en algo to end in sth
termina en punta it ends in a point; termina en vocal it ends in o with a vowel
4 (Informática) to quit
pronominal verb
terminarse
1 [+obra, acto] to end
antes de que se termine el curso before the year ends o finishes; before the year is over
2 [+comida, gasolina, carrete] to run out
se nos ha terminado el café we've run out of coffee
si se termina el carrete, hay otro en la mochila
3 [+persona] to finish
me terminé el libro en dos días I finished the book in two days; ¡termínate toda la sopa! finish (up) your soup!; termínate la copa y vámonos finish your drink and let's go; drink up and let's go
Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
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