～終わる

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

The Japanese grammar point ～終わる (owaru) literally means 'to finish' or 'to end'. However, when you attach it to the stem of a verb, it means 'to finish doing [verb]'. It's a really useful way to show that an action has been completed.

Think of it as combining two ideas: the action itself, and the completion of that action. So, instead of saying 'I read and then I finished', you can say 'I finished reading'. This makes your Japanese sound much more natural and concise.

DEFINITION

finish doing (used with verb stems)

You'll use ～終わる in everyday conversations, when talking about tasks, chores, or any activity that has a clear beginning and end. It's often used when you want to emphasize that something is done and dusted.

This sentence means 'I finished reading the book.' Here, 'yomi' is the stem of the verb 'yomu' (to read), and by adding 'owatta' (the past tense of owaru), we clearly state that the reading action is complete.

Here are some common scenarios where you'd use ～終わる:

• When you've completed a work task: 仕事をやり終わった。(Shigoto o yari-owatta.) - I finished doing my work.
• After finishing a meal: ご飯を食べ終わった。(Gohan o tabe-owatta.) - I finished eating dinner.
• Once you've finished studying: 勉強し終わった。(Benkyō shi-owatta.) - I finished studying.

It's important to note that ～終わる is different from just saying the plain past tense of a verb. While '読んだ' (yonda) also means 'read', '読み終わった' (yomi-owatta) specifically emphasizes the completion of the reading action. It implies a sense of finality and accomplishment. Consider the nuance carefully.

Using ～終わる shows a good grasp of natural Japanese expression, so it's definitely something you want to add to your vocabulary toolkit. It helps you articulate that an action is truly concluded, which can be very useful when communicating your progress on tasks or daily activities.

§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives

The Japanese language offers several ways to express the idea of "finishing." While ～終わる (owaru) is a very common and versatile suffix, it's helpful to understand its nuances compared to other related terms.

Definition

～終わる (owaru) means to finish doing something. It's attached to the stem of a verb.

Let's look at some common alternatives and how they differ:

• 終わる (owaru) - Verb: This is the standalone verb "to finish" or "to end." It can be used without attaching to another verb stem.

Hint: The work finished.

Here, 終わる is the main verb. When you use ～終わる attached to a verb stem, the focus is on the completion of the action described by that verb.

• 完了する (kanryō suru): This means "to complete" or "to finish." It's often used in more formal or technical contexts. It implies a thorough completion, often with a sense of finality or that all steps have been taken.

Hint: I completed the project.

• 終える (oeru): This is a transitive verb meaning "to finish something." It often implies that someone intentionally brought something to an end. It's similar to 終わる but emphasizes the agent's role in finishing the task.

Hint: I finished my homework.

You could also say 宿題をやり終わりました (I finished doing my homework), but 終える can be a more concise way to express the same idea when you are the one actively finishing it.

• 済む (sumu) / 済ませる (sumaseru): 済む (sumu) means "to be finished/completed" and often implies that a task is done and out of the way. 済ませる (sumaseru) is the transitive form, meaning "to finish (a task) off" or "to get (something) over with." These often carry a nuance of relief that a necessary task is complete.

Hint: The shopping is done.

Hint: I got my errands done.

When to use ～終わる:

• Focus on the action's completion: Use ～終わる when you want to specifically highlight that the *action itself* has been completed. For example, 食べ終わる (to finish eating), 読み終わる (to finish reading).
• Natural and common: It's a very natural and widely used expression in everyday Japanese. If in doubt, ～終わる is often a safe choice for simply stating that an action has been finished.
• With specific verb actions: It pairs well with many verb stems to create a compound verb that clearly indicates the cessation of that particular activity.