acabarse — Spanish conjugation

to run out, come to an end (se acabó)

RegularReflexiveacabar → acabarse

Indicative

Present (Presente) Regular

The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.

Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English

PronounSpanish
yome acabo
te acabas
voste acabás
él/ella/Ud.se acaba
nosotrosnos acabamos
vosotrosos acabáis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acaban

Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Regular

Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.

Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday

PronounSpanish
yome acabé
te acabaste
voste acabaste
él/ella/Ud.se acabó
nosotrosnos acabamos
vosotrosos acabasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acabaron

Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular

Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.

Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia

PronounSpanish
yome acababa
te acababas
voste acababas
él/ella/Ud.se acababa
nosotrosnos acabábamos
vosotrosos acababais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acababan

Conditional (Condicional) Regular

Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.

¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?

PronounSpanish
yome acabaría
te acabarías
voste acabarías
él/ella/Ud.se acabaría
nosotrosnos acabaríamos
vosotrosos acabaríais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acabarían

Future (Futuro) Regular

Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.

Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow

PronounSpanish
yome acabaré
te acabarás
voste acabarás
él/ella/Ud.se acabará
nosotrosnos acabaremos
vosotrosos acabaréis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acabarán

Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular

A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.

Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss

PronounSpanish
yome he acabado
te has acabado
voste has acabado
él/ella/Ud.se ha acabado
nosotrosnos hemos acabado
vosotrosos habéis acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se han acabado

Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular

The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.

Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived

PronounSpanish
yome había acabado
te habías acabado
voste habías acabado
él/ella/Ud.se había acabado
nosotrosnos habíamos acabado
vosotrosos habíais acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habían acabado

Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular

Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.

Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me

PronounSpanish
yome habría acabado
te habrías acabado
voste habrías acabado
él/ella/Ud.se habría acabado
nosotrosnos habríamos acabado
vosotrosos habríais acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrían acabado

Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular

Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.

Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished

PronounSpanish
yome habré acabado
te habrás acabado
voste habrás acabado
él/ella/Ud.se habrá acabado
nosotrosnos habremos acabado
vosotrosos habréis acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se habrán acabado

Subjunctive

Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Regular

Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.

Espero que hable — I hope she speaks

PronounSpanish
yome acabe
te acabes
voste acabes
él/ella/Ud.se acabe
nosotrosnos acabemos
vosotrosos acabéis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acaben

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Regular

The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.

Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome acabara
te acabaras
voste acabaras
él/ella/Ud.se acabara
nosotrosnos acabáramos
vosotrosos acabarais
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acabaran

Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular

The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.

Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it

PronounSpanish
yome acabase
te acabases
voste acabases
él/ella/Ud.se acabase
nosotrosnos acabásemos
vosotrosos acabaseis
ellos/ellas/Uds.se acabasen

Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.

Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived

PronounSpanish
yome haya acabado
te hayas acabado
voste hayas acabado
él/ella/Ud.se haya acabado
nosotrosnos hayamos acabado
vosotrosos hayáis acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hayan acabado

Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular

Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.

Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her

PronounSpanish
yome hubiera acabado
te hubieras acabado
voste hubieras acabado
él/ella/Ud.se hubiera acabado
nosotrosnos hubiéramos acabado
vosotrosos hubierais acabado
ellos/ellas/Uds.se hubieran acabado

Other forms

Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Regular

Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.

Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you

PronounSpanish
yome estoy acabando
te estás acabando
voste estás acabando
él/ella/Ud.se está acabando
nosotrosnos estamos acabando
vosotrosos estáis acabando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se están acabando

Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.

Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon

PronounSpanish
yome estuve acabando
te estuviste acabando
voste estuviste acabando
él/ella/Ud.se estuvo acabando
nosotrosnos estuvimos acabando
vosotrosos estuvisteis acabando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estuvieron acabando

Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Regular

Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.

Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in

PronounSpanish
yome estaba acabando
te estabas acabando
voste estabas acabando
él/ella/Ud.se estaba acabando
nosotrosnos estábamos acabando
vosotrosos estabais acabando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estaban acabando

Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Regular

Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.

Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could

PronounSpanish
yome estaría acabando
te estarías acabando
voste estarías acabando
él/ella/Ud.se estaría acabando
nosotrosnos estaríamos acabando
vosotrosos estaríais acabando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarían acabando

Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Regular

Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.

Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling

PronounSpanish
yome estaré acabando
te estarás acabando
voste estarás acabando
él/ella/Ud.se estará acabando
nosotrosnos estaremos acabando
vosotrosos estaréis acabando
ellos/ellas/Uds.se estarán acabando