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Conjugation Chart of “Terminar” (to finish) in the Preterite (Past) Tense

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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Terminar”

The preterite of terminar is used to express the completion of an action in the past, for example Terminé mi trabajo a las cinco (I finished my work at five). This tense emphasizes the moment when something was completed.

This is a regular -ar verb that follows the standard preterite conjugation pattern. Its straightforward conjugation makes it particularly useful for learning regular preterite forms.

How to Use Terminar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

The preterite of terminar indicates a completed action of finishing or ending in the past.

To finish/complete: Describes bringing something to an end, for example Terminé mi tarea a tiempo (I finished my homework on time) or Terminaron el proyecto antes de la fecha límite (They completed the project before the deadline).

To end/conclude: Used for ending relationships or situations, for example La reunión terminó tarde (The meeting ended late).

Real Life Examples of Terminar in the Preterite (Past) Tense

Terminé el proyecto antes del plazo. (I finished the project before the deadline.)

Terminaste la carrera en tiempo récord. (You finished the race in record time.)

El autor terminó su novela después de tres años. (The author finished their novel after three years.)

Terminamos la reunión temprano. (We finished the meeting early.)

Los estudiantes terminaron sus exámenes. (The students finished their exams.)

Terminé de leer el libro anoche. (I finished reading the book last night.)

Terminaste tu trabajo a tiempo. (You finished your work on time.)

El chef terminó de preparar el banquete. (The chef finished preparing the banquet.)

Terminamos de pintar la casa. (We finished painting the house.)

Los obreros terminaron la construcción. (The workers finished the construction.)

Terminé mis estudios universitarios. (I finished my university studies.)

Terminaste el curso con buenas notas. (You finished the course with good grades.)

La artista terminó su obra maestra. (The artist finished their masterpiece.)

Terminamos el proyecto comunitario. (We finished the community project.)

Los músicos terminaron el concierto con su mejor canción. (The musicians finished the concert with their best song.)

Conjugation Chart with English Translations

Conjugations of Terminar (to finish) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.