The Present Tense of acabar is used to express actions that are happening right now or that occur habitually. For example, Acabo de terminar mi tarea. (I have just finished my homework.)
Acabar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugations in the present tense follow the typical pattern for this verb type.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Acabar (to finish) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | acabo |
| Tú | acabas |
| Él / Ella / Usted | acaba |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | acabamos |
| Vosotros / Vosotras | acabáis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | acaban |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Acabar (to finish) in the Present Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Acabar in the Present Tense
Acabar generally means to finish or to end, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.
To finish or complete: For example, Acabo mi tarea antes de salir. (I finish my homework before going out.)
To run out or use up: For example, Acabo la leche cada mañana. (I use up the milk every morning.)
To end or terminate: For example, El concierto acaba a las 10 p.m. (The concert ends at 10 p.m.)
To die (colloquial): For example, Si no comes, acabas. (If you don’t eat, you’ll die.)
To climax or orgasm (vulgar): For example, Acabo rápido cuando estoy excitado. (I climax quickly when I’m excited.)
Examples
Examples of Acabar in the Present Tense
Yo acabo de terminar mi tarea. (I just finished my homework.)
¿Acabas de llegar a la fiesta? (Did you just arrive at the party?)
Ella acaba de publicar su nuevo libro. (She just published her new book.)
Acabamos de ver una película increíble. (We just watched an incredible movie.)
¿Acabáis de terminar el proyecto? (Did you all just finish the project?)
Ellos acaban de mudarse a un nuevo apartamento. (They just moved into a new apartment.)
Mi amiga acaba de conseguir un nuevo trabajo. (My friend just got a new job.)
Acabamos de regresar de nuestras vacaciones. (We just got back from our vacation.)
¿Acabas de escuchar las noticias? (Did you just hear the news?)
Los niños acaban de salir de la escuela. (The kids just got out of school.)
Nosotros acabamos de celebrar nuestro aniversario. (We just celebrated our anniversary.)
¿Acabáis de terminar de comer? (Did you all just finish eating?)
Ellas acaban de comprar un coche nuevo. (They just bought a new car.)
Yo acabo de despertarme. (I just woke up.)
¿Acabas de hablar con tu jefe? (Did you just talk to your boss?)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Acabar (to finish) in the Present Tense tense (Castilian Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo acabo | I finish |
| Tú acabas | You finish |
| Él / Ella / Usted acaba | He / She / You (formal) finishes |
| Nosotros / Nosotras acabamos | We finish |
| Vosotros / Vosotras acabáis | You all finish |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes acaban | They / You all (formal) finish |
This post covers Castilian Spanish. For Latin American Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.