Finir – to finish

Finir - to finish
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French Verb Finisher

The regular –ir verb finir, "to finish," is normally pretty simple, but different prepositions and auxiliary verbs can make it a little tricky.

Finir = to finish, complete (transitive)

Finis ton verre !   Finish your glass! Drink up!
Je vais finir les devoirs demain.   I’m going to finish the homework tomorrow.

Finir = to finish, end (intransitive)

La réunion finit à midi.   The meeting ends at noon.
J’aime les films qui finissent bien.   I like movies with a happy ending.

Finir in compound tenses

Generally speaking, finir requires avoir as its auxiliary verb in the compound tenses and moods.

Par exemple…

J’ai fini les devoirs hier.   I finished the homework yesterday.
Tu as fini ton repas ?   Have you finished your meal?

In impersonal constructions and with inanimate objects, the auxiliary can be être.

Par exemple…

C’est fini !   It’s over!
L’école est finie.   School is out.

 With être as the auxiliary verb, finir means "finished" as in dead, figuratively.

Par exemple…

Cet acteur est fini.   That actor is finished. (His career is over.)
Nos ennuis sont enfin finis.   Our worries are finally over.

Finir de + infinitive = to stop doing

Finis de crier !   Stop yelling!
Tu vas finir de te plaindre ?   Are you going to stop complaining?

Finir en = to end in / end up in

Tous les mots qui finissent en –sion sont féminins.   All words that end in –sion are feminine.
Le voleur a fini en prison.   The thief ended up in prison.

Finir par + infinitive = to end up doing / to do in the end

Nous avons fini par acheter la maison.   We ended up buying the house.
Ils ont fini par divorcer.   They got divorced in the end.

En finir avec / de = to be done with

J’en ai fini avec tout ça.   I’m done with all that.
Il n’en finit jamais de se vanter.   He never stops bragging.

 Related lessons

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French verb finir

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