Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 2: 7/17

()わるTo finish, To end

Structure

Verb[stem]+ ()わる

Details

  • Standard

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.

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.

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.


Antonyms



Misc.

Examples

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  • ()時間(じかん)かかったけど()べおわりました

    It took two hours but I finished eating.

  • (さん)()ごろ(つく)りおわる

    I will finish making it around three o'clock.

  • この番組(ばんぐみ)()おわった

    I finished watching this program.

  • (はし)りおわったのは何時(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)しおわった(ひと)(おし)えてください

    Those who have finished correcting their homework, let me know.

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おわる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (25 in total)

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    Hey @Kaibo !

    The reason 走り終わる is incorrect here is because this sentence is talking about a past event (indicated by the でした). Due to this, using the present tense, 走り終わる, in a sentence talking about a past even will sound unnatural.

    I hope this answers your question!

  • Joaquin8911

    Joaquin8911

    Hello!

    The sentence below is translated as “It always takes more than an hour by the time that person finishes eating breakfast.” but isn’t “up to an hour” or something along those lines the actual meaning? Nothing actually means “more than” an hour right?

    あの人はいつも朝ご飯を食べおわるまでに1時間もかかる。

  • casual

    casual

    These are later in BP lesson order, but Number/Amount + は (JLPT N4) | Bunpro / Number + も (JLPT N4) | Bunpro do mean “at least an hour”, “more or equal than an hour”. も is more emphatic.

    To say “up to an hour” or “probably not more than an hour” one could use 1時間ほど.

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