N4 Compound Verbs and Change

~終おわる: meaning, usage and examples

~終おわる means: to finish...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 食たべ終おわったら、おさらを洗あらってください。

   Once you've finished eating, please wash the dishes.

2. その本ほん、もう読よみ終おわりましたか。

   Have you finished reading that book already?

3. 手紙てがみを書かき終おわったら、出だしに行いきます。

   When I finish writing the letter, I'll go mail it.

4. 映画えいがを見み終おわってから、晩ばんごはんを食たべました。

   We ate dinner after we finished watching the movie.

When to use it

Add 終おわる to a verb's ます-stem to say you finished doing something: 書かき終おわる (finish writing), 食たべ終おわる (finish eating). It changes like a Group 1 verb: 終おわります, 終おわった. Use it for actions that take some time and have a clear end, such as reading a book, writing a letter, or eating a meal.

Nuance

Neutral, everyday Japanese. It often comes with もう (already) and まだ (not yet). 終おえる (書かき終おえる) has the same meaning but sounds more formal and written. Like 始はじめる, it does not suit one-moment actions.

Compare

~終おわる vs ~てしまう: 読よみ終おわった just says the reading is done. 読よんでしまった can add feeling, like regret or relief, to the completion. ~終おわる vs ~始はじめる: they are a pair, 読よみ始はじめる (start reading) and 読よみ終おわる (finish reading).

Tip: Answer "Have you finished?" with まだ読よみ終おわっていません, not まだ読よみ終おわりません. The ている form shows the action is still unfinished.