Mastering “~Owaru (~終わる)”: A Key to Expressing Task Completion in Japanese

~終わる

If you have ever stared at a mountain of Japanese textbooks or a massive plate of ramen, wondering how you will ever get to the end of it, then you already understand the emotional core of today’s grammar point. We have all been there—studying for the JLPT can feel like a marathon that never ends. There is a specific satisfaction in Japanese culture that comes from finishing something properly, and the language reflects that with a very specific grammatical structure.

Today, we are looking at the auxiliary verb 〜終わる (~owaru). It is one of those versatile tools in your linguistic toolkit that takes you from sounding like a textbook to sounding like someone who actually lives and breathes the language. Whether you are finishing a book, finishing a conversation, or finally finishing that JLPT practice exam, this is the grammar you need to sound natural.

Here is the complete JLPT N4 guide.

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The Heart of the Matter: What Does ~Owaru Actually Mean?

At its simplest, 〜終わる (~owaru) is attached to the end of another verb to indicate that the action has been completed. In English, we usually just say “I finished [doing something],” but in Japanese, we “glue” the word for “finish” (終わる) directly onto the action itself.

However, it is more than just a chronological marker. Using 〜終わる implies that the action was a process—something that had a beginning, a middle, and finally, a clear end. It is about reaching the finish line of a specific task. This is different from just saying something “stopped” or “is over.” It carries a sense of fulfillment and closure.

When you use this grammar, you are telling your listener that you have gone through all the necessary steps of an action until there was nothing left to do. It’s the difference between “closing a book” and “finishing a book.” One is just a movement; the other is an achievement.

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The Mechanics: How to Build ~Owaru Sentences

One of the reasons students love this grammar point (once they get the hang of it) is that the construction is incredibly logical. It follows the standard “Compound Verb” rule in Japanese. If you have already learned how to use ~nasai or ~ni iku, you already know the foundation.

The Verb Stem Formula

To use this grammar, you need to use the Masu-stem of your primary verb. If you can conjugate a verb into its polite “-masu” form, you are 90% of the way there. Just drop the ~masu and add ~owaru.

[Verb Stem] + 終わる (owaru)

Let’s look at a few quick transformations to see how this works in practice:

• 読む (Yomu – to read)
  • Polite form: 読みます (Yomimasu)
  • Compound: 読み終わる (Yomi-owaru: Finish reading)
• 食べる (Taberu – to eat)
  • Polite form: 食べます (Tabemai)
  • Compound: 食べ終わる (Tabe-owaru: Finish eating)
• 書く (Kaku – to write)
  • Polite form: 書きます (Kakimasu)
  • Compound: 書き終わる (Kaki-owaru: Finish writing)

Keep in mind that 終わる itself is a Group 1 (U-verb), so you can conjugate it further depending on the politeness level or tense you need. In a casual conversation with a friend, you might say 読み終わった (yomi-owatta), while in a formal setting, you would say 読み終わりました (yomi-owarimashita).

Working with Different Verb Groups

Whether you are dealing with Ichidan verbs (Group 2 like taberu) or Godan verbs (Group 1 like kaku), the rule stays the same.

1. For Group 1 (Godan): Change the last “u” sound to “i” and add owaru. (e.g., tsukau → tsukai-owaru)
2. For Group 2 (Ichidan): Just remove ru and add owaru. (e.g., miru → mi-owaru)
3. For Group 3 (Irregular): Suru becomes shi-owaru, and kuru becomes ki-owaru.

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Practical Daily Scenarios: Putting ~Owaru into Context

Grammar is useless if it just sits in your notebook. To truly internalize 〜終わる, you need to see it in the wild. Here are three common scenarios where you will find yourself using this grammar every single day.

Scenario: Finishing Your Studies

This is probably the most relevant one for you right now! When you have finally reached the last page of your workbook, you don’t just “finish,” you study-finish.

• Japanese: やっとJLPTの勉強をし終わりました。これで少し休めます。
• Romaji: Yatto JLPT no benkyou o shi-owarimashita. Kore de sukoshi yasumemasu.
• English: I finally finished studying for the JLPT. Now I can rest a bit.

In this example, し終わる (shi-owaru) is the combination of する (suru – to do) and 終わる. It highlights that the study session was a focused effort that has now reached its conclusion.

Scenario: Culinary Completion

Japan is a food culture, and there is a lot of emphasis on eating every last grain of rice (the mottainai spirit!). When you have cleared your plate at a restaurant, you use this grammar to signal that you are done.

• Japanese: 食べ終わったら、お皿を片付けてくださいね。
• Romaji: Tabe-owattara, osara o katazukete kudasai ne.
• English: When you finish eating, please clear the plates.

Notice how 食べ終わる becomes 食べ終わったら (tabe-owattara). This “if/when” conditional form is extremely common in daily life instructions. It tells the listener that the next action (clearing plates) cannot happen until the first process is 100% complete.

Scenario: Media and Entertainment

Whether it’s a Netflix series or a long-running manga, we are always “finishing” media. If you want to tell a friend you’ve caught up on a show, this is your go-to phrase.

• Japanese: このアニメ、昨日全部見終わったよ！すごく面白かった。
• Romaji: Kono anime, kinou zenbu mi-owatta yo! Sugoku omoshirokatta.
• English: I finished watching all of this anime yesterday! It was so interesting.

Here, 見終わる (mi-owaru) combines 見る (miru – to see/watch) with our target grammar. It sounds much more natural than saying “Anime ga owatta” (The anime ended), which might imply the show was cancelled or reached its series finale regardless of whether you watched it or not.

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Nuance Check: Owaru vs. Oeru vs. Shimau

One of the biggest hurdles for learners is knowing when to use 〜終わる versus other similar expressions. Let’s break down the rivals of 〜終わる so you don’t get caught off guard during the exam.

Owaru (終わる) vs. Oeru (終える)

You might have seen 〜終える (~oeru) and wondered what the difference is. Generally, 〜終わる is the intransitive version, and 〜終える is the transitive version.

However, when used as an auxiliary verb (attached to another verb), they are often interchangeable, but 〜終わる is much more common in daily spoken Japanese. 〜終える tends to sound a bit more formal, deliberate, or written. You might use oeru when talking about finishing a major project or a life stage, whereas owaru is your everyday friend for books, meals, and homework.

~Owaru vs. ~Te Shimau

This is a common point of confusion. 〜てしまう (~te shimau) also means “to do completely,” but it carries a different emotional weight. Usually, ~te shimau implies:

1. Regret: “I accidentally finished the cake (and I shouldn’t have).”
2. Unintentionality: “I finished the book without meaning to stay up all night.”

On the other hand, 〜終わる is neutral. It just states the fact that the process is complete. If you just want to say you finished your homework without sounding sad or accidental about it, stick with 〜終わる.

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Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even though the rule is simple, there are a few “traps” that even advanced students fall into. Let’s make sure you aren’t one of them.

The Trap of Instantaneous Verbs

You can only use 〜終わる with verbs that describe an action taking place over a period of time. You cannot “finish” an action that happens in a split second.

For example, you wouldn’t say 「死に終わる」 (shini-owaru / finish dying) or 「知り終わる」 (shiri-owaru / finish knowing). You also wouldn’t say 「落ち終わる」 (ochi-owaru / finish falling) for a quick drop. These aren’t processes you consciously work through to completion; they are states or instant changes. Stick to actions like writing, reading, building, washing, and eating.

Mixing Up the Stem

Remember, it is the Masu-stem, not the Te-form! Beginners often accidentally say things like “Tabete-owaru.” This is grammatically incorrect. Always strip that verb down to its bare stem before adding 〜終わる.

Using Owaru with Intransitive Verbs

Generally, 〜終わる pairs best with transitive verbs (actions you do to something). While you can use it with some intransitive verbs that imply a process (like furu for rain), it’s most common with actions like yomu (read) or tsukuru (make).

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Summary and JLPT Strategy

The 〜終わる grammar point is a bread-and-butter structure for the N4 and N3 levels. It shows the examiners that you understand how compound verbs function and that you can distinguish between a simple action and the completion of a process.

Quick Review Table

Verb Type	Dictionary Form	Masu-Stem	Completed Form
Group 1	書く (Kaku)	書き (Kaki)	書き終わる
Group 2	食べる (Taberu)	食べ (Tabe)	食べ終わる
Group 3	する (Suru)	し (Shi)	し終わる

Pro-Tip for the Exam

When you see this on the test, look for keywords like 全部 (zenbu – all), やっと (yatto – finally), or 最後まで (saigo made – until the end). These are often “clue words” that suggest a 〜終わる construction is the correct answer.

Learning Japanese is a long journey, but every time you master a new grammar point like this, you are “finishing” another step of the climb. Keep practicing, keep using it in your daily conversations, and soon enough, you’ll be able to say:

「日本語をマスターし終わりました！」

(I have finished mastering Japanese!)

All you have to do is prepare for the exam every day wth IPPO.