Els mots finish i end tenen significats similars i són sovint intercanviables. Tot i així hi ha algunes diferències, que de tot seguit detallarem:
— Quan es tracta de completar una activitat, generalment s'empra finish:—
1) Mai no em deixa acabar una frase.
She never lets me finish a sentence.
2) A veure si acabaràs el que has començat.
Let's see if you'll finish what you've started.
3) Encara no he acabat de corregir els exàmens.
I haven't finished correcting the exams yet.
— Quan es tracta de posar a terme a una cosa o de finalitzar-la, generalment fem servir end:
4) Haurem d'acabar el nostre afer.
We're going to have to end our affair.
5) Sembla que aquesta guerra no s'acabarà mai.
It seems this war will never end.
6) No em puc decidir com acabar aquest capítol.
I can't decide how to end this chapter.
— Quan vol dir arribar, alguna cosa, a la seva fi, acabar se sol traduir per end:
7) El ball ha acabat mot d'hora.
The dance ended very early.
8) Aquesta carretera s'acaba a Tavertet.
This highway ends in Tavertet.
Esmentem també els girs be done, be through i be over; els primers dos s'usen per a indicar que una persona ha acabat una acció —We're done/through! (Hem fet!)—i el segon per a indicar que una activitat ha tingut fi: It is over (S'ha acabat). Més exemples:
9) Hauríem d'acabar d'aquí a una hora.
We should be done/through in about an hour.
10) Has acabat amb aquest diccionari?
Are you done/through with this dictionary?
11) S'ha acabat el partit?
Is the game over?
12) La reunió ha acabat fa una hora.
The meeting was over an hour ago o The meeting has been over for an hour.
| Exemples de l'ús de finish i end | ||
| finished the article
finished the beer finished the book finished the bourbon ended the call finished the cigarette finished the coffee ended the conversation finished/ended the day finished the drink/food |
finished the game
ended the interview finished the job finished the joke ended the lesson finished/ended the letter finished the marathon finished the meal ended the meeting finished the race |
ended the relationship
finished/ended the season finished the sentence finished the soda finished the song finished the story finished the tournament ended the war finished/ended the week finished/ended the year |
— acabar de + infinitiu [fa poc] = have just+participi
Acabem de sopar.
We've just had dinner.
Acabava de penjar quan has trucat.
I had just hung up when you called.
— no acabar de + infinitiu [no arribar a] = not quite + verb
No acabo d'entendre't.
I cannot quite understand you.
No acabava de funcionar.
It didn't quite work.
— (no) acabar de + infinitiu [terminatiu] = finish + gerundi
Marxarem quan hagi acabat de parlar.
We'll leave when he has finished speaking.
Encara no ha acabat de vestir-se.
She hasn't finished dressing yet.
—acabar( per ) + gerundi = end up + gerundi
Acabaran fent el ruc, com sempre.
They'll end up playing the fool, as always.
Vam acabar quedant-nos a casa.
We ended up staying home.
Va acabar (acceptant / per acceptar) que no tenia raó.
He ended up admitting that he was wrong.
acabar la corda
run out of steam
per a acabar_ho d'adobar
to top it off; to make matters worse; what's more; and as if that weren't enough
per acabar
in conclusion
acabat de dir, acabat d'oferir
go in one ear and out the other
conte acabat
end of story
s'ha acabat el bròquil!
that's it!, enough!, end of story!, it's over with!, that's all she wrote!