Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 2: 7/17

()わる

To finish, To end

Structure

Verb[ます+ ()わる

Details

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About おわる

To express that actions are beginning, or ending in Japanese, the verbs (はじ)める (to commence), or ()わる (to end) will need to be used. In this lesson, we will focus on actions that are 'ending'.
To say that (A) is ending/finishing, we will need to attach おわる to the ます stem of almost any verb. Whether you use the hiragana form, or the kanji form does not matter, as there will be no change in nuance.
  • 荷物(にもつ)全部(ぜんぶ)(とど)()わりました
    I have finished delivering all the packages.
  • この(くるま)ローン明日(あした)(はら)()わる
    I will finish paying the loan for this car tomorrow.
Due to おわる being a verb itself, the tense can be changed to show that something will end, is ending, or has ended.
  • 学生生活(がくせいせいかつ)明日(あした)()わります
    My student life will end tomorrow. (Will finish)
  • ん、で()わる言葉(ことば)使(つか)って()
    I used a word ending with ん, and lost. (Is finishing)
  • 戦争(せんそう)20(ねん)(まえ)()わっ
    The war ended 20 years ago. (Has finished)
Caution
Unlike はじめる, which uses the transitive form, ()わる uses the intransitive form of its transitive/intransitive pair. This is due to most actions in Japanese being considered to be things that 'come to an end' naturally (intransitive), rather than forcefully (transitive). However, there are exceptions to this, and ()える (the transitive version) may also be seen used as an auxiliary to other verbs.

Examples

  • 時間(じかん)かかったけど()()りました

    It took two hours but I finished eating.

  • ()ごろ(つく)()

    I will finish making it around three o'clock.

  • この番組(ばんぐみ)()()った

    I finished watching this program.

  • (はし)()わったのは何時(なんじ)ぐらいでした

    Around what time did you finish running?

  • 宿題(しゅくだい)(なお)()わった(ひと)(おし)えてください

    Those who have finished fixing the homework, let me know.

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おわる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (16 in total)

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    About 1 month ago

    When the finished action is in the past

    First sentence isn’t
    「…漢字を覚え終わるまで…」
    "until you finish memorizing the kanji "
    as in, it hasn’t happened yet, but when it does, only then can you leave the room

    #2 in the past
    "Because the teacher finished explaining, I asked him/her a question. "
    Couldn’t ask while they were still explaining that would be rude😚 event could’ve happened 10 minutes ago or the other day either way, not future

  • Meatdog

    Meatdog

    About 1 month ago

    Thank you for answer! I’m glad my question was a true question and not found in another section this time

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    About 1 month ago

    Hahaha all your questions are true questions just some answers are found in a different place

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