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JLPT N4Verb Forms

〜終わる(おわる) — Finish doing / Done with

A compound-verb suffix expressing the completion of an action, attached to the masu-stem. Indicates the action has been carried through to its end.

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Pro lessonUNIT 50 · VERB FORMS

Structure · 形

[Verb masu-stem] + 終わる

Examples · 例文

  • レポートを書き終わりました。

    Repooto wo kakiowarimashita.

    I finished writing the report.

    書き (write, masu-stem) + 終わりました (finished)

  • 食べ終わったら、皿を洗ってください。

    Tabeowattara, sara wo aratte kudasai.

    After you finish eating, please wash the dishes.

    食べ終わったら = after finishing eating (conditional)

  • 読み終わった本は返してください。

    Yomiowatta hon wa kaeshite kudasai.

    Please return the book once you're done reading it.

    読み終わった本 = the book you've finished reading

Usage notes · 注意

  • Aspect suffix set: 〜始める (start), 〜続ける (continue), 〜終わる (finish).
  • 終わる conjugates as a u-verb: 終わります, 終わった, etc.
  • Compare: 〜てしまう = completely done (often with regret) vs 〜終わる = finished doing (neutral completion).
  • 終える is the transitive counterpart, more common in formal writing (書き終える).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones 〜終わる is tested against.

vs始める

始める marks the START of an action; 終わる marks its completion. They are a natural pair.

vsてしまう

てしまう = 'finish completely', often with a regret/unintended nuance; 終わる is neutral completion of the action.

vs終える

終える is the transitive version — you actively bring the action to an end (書き終える); it feels more formal/written.

More verb forms

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