Meaning and Usage
The verb 終える (おえる) means "to finish" or "to complete" something. It is a transitive verb, so it requires a direct object — something that is being finished. It is commonly used in everyday conversation and writing to indicate the completion of tasks, events, or periods of time.
Common Contexts
You will often see 終える used with activities like homework (宿題を終える), meetings (会議を終える), or studies (大学を終える). It implies that the action or event has been fully completed.
Collocations and Patterns
- 宿題を終える: to finish homework
- 会議を終える: to finish a meeting
- 大学を終える: to finish university
- 仕事を終える: to finish work
These collocations are very common and useful for daily conversation.
Register and Politeness
終える is neutral and can be used in both casual and formal contexts. When speaking politely, it is often combined with ます-form: 終えます.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 終える with 終わる, which is an intransitive verb meaning "something ends." Remember, 終える requires a direct object (something you finish), while 終わる describes something finishing by itself.