Ende
/ˈɛndə/
In German, the word for end is Ende.
Ende is the most common and standard term used to say end in German. It can refer to the final point of something or, in a related sense, to death.
Meaning: intransitive: be finished, be terminated (verb)
Which one should you use?
While Ende refers to the final point of something, Schluss is often used to mean the conclusion or the stopping of an activity, such as in the phrase Schluss machen to stop or break up. For the extreme part of something, you might use Ende or Schluss.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Swiss German dialects, such as Bernese or Zurich German, Schluuss can be used instead of Schluss to denote end.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Ende is related to the verb enden (to end). To say 'at the end', use the prepositional phrase am Ende.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɛndə/
Did you know?
- The phrase Schluss machen serves as a common euphemism for ending a romantic relationship.
- The word Ende shares a common ancestor with the English word 'end', as both descend from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂entíos.
- A German speaker might use Ende to describe the physical extremity of a body part, such as the 'end' of a finger.
Examples in context
- Das ist das Ende.This is the end.Tatoeba #608646 by virgil, translation #56074 by CK
- Das Ende ist nahe.The end is nigh.Tatoeba #914149 by Esperantostern, translation #896014 by Scott
- Das wird nie enden.This is never going to end.Tatoeba #88 by ludoviko, translation #1287 by CK
- Die Feier endet um 24 Uhr.The celebration ends at midnight.
- Das Ende des Buches war überraschend.The end of the book was surprising.
- Der Abschluss der Verhandlung war erfolgreich.The conclusion of the negotiation was successful.
- Die Abschlussrede war sehr bewegend.The closing speech was very moving.
- Die Beendigung des Vertrags erfolgt zum Jahresende.The termination of the contract will take place at the end of the year.
- Wir sind mit der Beendigung des Projekts zufrieden.We are satisfied with the completion of the project.
- Der Film war langweilig, deshalb bin ich vor dem Schluss gegangen.The movie was boring, so I left before the end.
- Wann ist Schluss mit der Arbeit?When does work end?
- Ich habe endgültig genug davon.I have finally had enough of it.
- Das war sein endgültiger Entschluss.That was his final decision.
- 719 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are discussing a movie they just watched.
- LukasWie hat dir das Ende gefallen?How did you like the end?
- LauraIch fand das Ende sehr traurig.I found the end very sad.
- LukasJa, es war ein überraschendes Ende.Yes, it was a surprising end.
- LauraDas war wirklich ein perfektes Ende.That was really a perfect end.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Ende, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ende, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
