～終わる・おわる (finish doing)

Japanese Grammar Basic Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral おわるowaru
Reading おわる
Romaji owaru
Formation Verb ます-stem + 終わる
Kanji breakdown 終 (しゅう/お.わる) — end, finish

Meaning

A compound verb suffix attached to the verb stem that indicates the completion or finishing of an action. It expresses that an activity has been carried through to its natural end.

おわる as a compound verb suffix means that the action denoted by the main verb has been completed in its entirety. It is used when the speaker wants to emphasize that the whole process is done, not just that it stopped. For example, 読み終わる means to finish reading the entire text, while 読むのをやめる would mean to stop reading partway through. おわる attaches to the ます stem of verbs and conjugates as a regular Group 1 verb. It pairs naturally with activities that have a clear endpoint — reading a book, eating a meal, writing a report. It is less natural with ongoing states or habitual actions. Learners sometimes confuse おわる with てしまう; おわる neutrally states completion, while てしまう often adds regret or surprise.

Examples

  1. レポートを書き終わりました。 I finished writing the report.
  2. 映画は十時に見終わった。 I finished watching the movie at ten o'clock.
  3. 宿題を全部やり終わるまで遊べません。 You can't play until you finish all your homework.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

  • この本を読み終わったら貸してあげる。
  • 仕事を終わらせてから帰ります。
  • 掃除をし終わったので休憩しましょう。

Don't Say

  • 音楽を聞き終わる。(Using おわる with an activity that has no clear endpoint — listening to music is continuous) → この曲を聞き終わった。
  • 日本に住み終わった。(Using おわる with a state verb — living is not an action you finish doing) → 日本に住むのをやめた。

Origin & History

終わる means 'to end' or 'to finish.' As a compound verb suffix, it has been used since at least the Edo period to mark the completion of an action denoted by the preceding verb stem.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

～て (て form) The て form is one of the most versatile verb and adjective conjugations in Japanese. It connects clauses, forms compound verbs, makes requests, and serves as the base for many auxiliary constructions such as ている, てしまう, and ておく. ～てくる (1) (directional) An auxiliary verb construction where くる follows the て form to express that someone or something moves toward the speaker. It indicates physical movement in the direction of the speaker's location. ～てみる (try doing) An auxiliary verb construction where みる follows the て form to express trying or attempting an action to see what happens or what it is like. It conveys the nuance of doing something experimentally or for the first time. ～ことができる (able to) A construction expressing ability or possibility. It states that doing a particular action is possible, either because of personal skill, circumstances, or permission. It is the formal equivalent of the potential form of verbs. ～すぎる (too much) An auxiliary verb attached to verb stems and adjective stems to express that something is done excessively or a state is excessive. It conveys the meaning of 'too much' or 'overly.' ～ていく (1) (moving away) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to indicate that an action or movement proceeds in a direction away from the speaker or a reference point. It describes going somewhere while doing something, or doing something and then going. ～ていく (2) (ongoing change) An auxiliary verb construction where いく follows the て form of a verb to express that an action or state continues to change or progress from the present into the future. It describes a gradual, ongoing shift moving forward in time. ～ておく (in advance) An auxiliary verb attached to the て form indicating that an action is done in advance, in preparation for a future need or situation. It conveys the idea of doing something ahead of time and leaving the result in place.
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