Meaning
Adds the meaning of completing an action to a verb stem.
Formation
- Drop ます and add 終わる: 読みます → 読み終わる
When to use it
- Core use
- Finish doing
Examples
20 sentences-
宿題を書き終わりました
I finished writing my homework.
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本を読み終わったら貸します
I will lend you the book when I finish reading it.
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大きなラーメンを食べ終わりました
I finished eating a large bowl of ramen.
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報告書を書き終わったら海を見に行きます
When I finish writing the report, I will go see the sea.
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映画を見終わってもしばらく動けませんでした
Even after the film ended, I could not move for a while.
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旅行の荷物を詰め終わりました
I finished packing for the trip.
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皿を洗い終わってからお茶を飲みました
After finishing the dishes, I drank tea.
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十キロ走り終わった選手が笑いました
The athlete smiled after finishing the ten-kilometer run.
12 more examples
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話し終わるまで静かに聞いてください
Please listen quietly until I finish speaking.
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青い絵の具を全部使い終わりました
I finished using all of the blue paint.
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小さな荷物を運び終わりました
I finished carrying the small luggage.
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手紙の封筒に名前を書き終わりました
I finished writing the name on the envelope.
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古い雑誌を捨て終わりました
I finished throwing away the old magazines.
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台所の窓を拭き終わりました
I finished wiping the kitchen window.
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旅行の写真を見終わりました
I finished looking at the travel photos.
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短い手紙を書き終わりました
I finished writing a short letter.
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友達の話を聞き終わりました
I finished listening to my friend's story.
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駅の名前を全部書き終わりました
I finished writing down all the station names.
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借りた本を読み終わりました
I finished reading the book I borrowed.
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晩ご飯の準備をし終わりました
I finished preparing dinner.
Important notes
- 終わる marks reaching the end of an activity: 読み終わる.
Common mistakes
- Use the ます stem; 食べた終わる does not form this compound.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.
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