What does acabar in Spanish mean?

What is the meaning of the word acabar in Spanish? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use acabar in Spanish.

The word acabar in Spanish means end, finish, finish, take out, end, finish, sell out, put an end to, end up doing, pull out, orgasm, come, climax, have just done, end in, end in, end up in confusion, end up badly, put an end to, put an end to, finish off, take out, never ending story, never-ending, the world is going to end, like there's no tomorrow, while supplies last, while stocks last, come to nothing. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word acabar

end

verbo intransitivo (llegar a su fin)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
El domingo acaba el Tour de Francia.
The Tour de France ends on Sunday.

finish

verbo transitivo (finalizar, terminar)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Si quieres salir a jugar, primero acaba tu tarea.
If you want to go out and play, you will have to finish your homework first.

finish

verbo transitivo (consumir todo)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Tenía tanta sed que acabé la jarra de agua en dos minutos.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. You got through those biscuits quickly!

take out

(informal (matar a alguien) (colloquial)

(phrasal verb, transitive, separable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, divisible--for example, "call off" [=cancel], "call the game off," "call off the game.")
Los ladrones acabaron con Juan de un disparo.
The thieves took Juan out with one shot.

end, finish

verbo pronominal (terminarse, llegar algo a su fin)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Hasta que se acabe el proyecto no sabremos si tuvieron éxito los cambios en la empresa.
We won't know if the changes to the company were effective until the project ends (or: finishes).

sell out

verbo pronominal (agotarse, consumirse) (tickets)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")
Ayer se acabaron los boletos para la rifa de la camioneta nueva.
ⓘEsta oración no es una traducción de la original. We've almost run out of petrol, so we had better get to a gas station as soon as possible.

put an end to

verbo pronominal (extinguirse, desaparecer)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
¡No quiero volverte a ver! Tus mentiras hicieron que se acabara la confianza que te tenía.
I never want to see you again! Your lies have put an end to any trust I had in you.

end up doing

locución verbal (verse en una situación)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Como hacía mal tiempo, acabamos pasando el fin de semana en casa de mis suegros.
Because the weather was bad, we ended up spending the weekend at my in-laws' house.

pull out

verbo pronominal (CL (alcanzar el orgasmo) (when having sex)

(phrasal verb, intransitive: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning and not taking direct object--for example, "make up" [=reconcile]: "After they fought, they made up.")
Yo no uso condón, prefiero acabarme afuera.
I don't use condoms - I prefer to pull out.

orgasm, come, climax

verbo intransitivo (AR (alcanzar el orgasmo)

(intransitive verb: Verb not taking a direct object--for example, "She jokes." "He has arrived.")
Para mí es difícil acabar sin juego previo.
I find climaxing tough without foreplay.

have just done

(acción reciente) (with past participle)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
—¿Tu hermano está en la casa? —No sé, acabo de llegar.
"Is your brother home?" "I don't know. I've just got here."

end in

(extremo: tener cierta forma)

La montaña acaba en punta.
The mountain ends in a peak.

end in

(terminar de cierta manera)

Iba a preparar la cena, pero todo acabó en desastre cuando derramé leche por toda la cocina.
I was going to make dinner, but it all ended in disaster when I spilled milk all over the kitchen.

end up in confusion

locución verbal (coloquial (sin consenso)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Aquella reunión acabó como el rosario de la aurora: todos terminaron votando una cosa distinta.

end up badly

locución verbal (coloquial (muy mal)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Dos hombres empezaron una discusión en el bar y aquello acabó como el rosario de la aurora.

put an end to

locución verbal (ponerle fin) (end, terminate)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La carta que nos mandaste acabó con nuestras esperanzas de verte.
The letter you sent us put an end to our hopes of seeing you.

put an end to

locución verbal (destruir)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La explosión acabó con la vida de cientos de personas.
The explosion put an end to the lives of hundreds of people.

finish off, take out

locución verbal (coloquial (matar, aniquilar)

(phrasal verb, transitive, separable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, divisible--for example, "call off" [=cancel], "call the game off," "call off the game.")
Le ordenaron al asesino a sueldo que acabase con el soplón.
They ordered the hired assassin to finish off the snitch.

never ending story

nombre masculino (historia que se repite)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Querer que los jóvenes limpien su cuarto es el cuento de nunca acabar.
Wanting younger kids to clean their rooms is a never ending story.

never-ending

locución adjetiva (informal (que no tiene fin)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
La política es un tema de nunca acabar, así que mejor hablemos de otra cosa.
Politics is a never-ending topic, so we might as well talk about something else.

the world is going to end

expresión (fin de la humanidad)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Los miembros de esa secta creen que el mundo se va a acabar dentro de diez meses.
The members of that sect believe that the world is going to end within ten months.

like there's no tomorrow

expresión (figurado (el futuro no importa)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Juan bebe de tal manera que parece creer que el mundo se va a acabar.
Juan drinks like there's no tomorrow.

while supplies last, while stocks last

expresión (hasta la última pieza)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La tienda tiene descuentos hasta agotar existencias.
The shop has discounts while stocks last (or: while supplies last).

come to nothing

locución verbal (ES (proyecto, empresa: frustrarse)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Meses y meses de negociaciones quedaron en agua de borrajas a causa de un comentario desafortunado. La iniciativa popular no recibió el apoyo esperado y acabó en agua de borrajas.
Months and months of negotiations came to nothing because of an ill-fated comment.

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Spanish (español), also known as Castilla, is a language of the Iberian-Romance group of the Romance languages, and the 4th most common language in the world according to Some sources, while others list it as a 2nd or 3rd most common language. It is the mother tongue of about 352 million people, and is spoken by 417 million people when adding its speakers as a language. sub (estimated in 1999). Spanish and Portuguese have very similar grammar and vocabulary; The number of similar vocabulary of these two languages is up to 89%. Spanish is the primary language of 20 countries around the world. It is estimated that the total number of speakers of Spanish is between 470 and 500 million, making it the second most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers.