終わりました
owarimashita
The English phrase "I am finished" is expressed in Japanese as 終わりました (owarimashita).
終わりました is used to state that a task or activity has been completed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is the polite past tense of the intransitive verb 終わる, which means "to finish" or "to end".
Which one should you use?
While English speakers say "I am finished," the Japanese phrase 終わりました literally translates to "It has finished," focusing on the completion of the event itself rather than the person's state.
How does it change in a sentence?
終わりました is the polite past tense form of the intransitive verb 終わる.
How do you pronounce it?
owarimashita
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the transitive form 終わらせました (meaning "I finished/made it finish") when they want to say they have completed a task. However, the intransitive 終わりました is the most natural way to announce that a task is done.
Did you know?
- If a Japanese speaker says 終わった (the casual form of 終わりました) with a heavy sigh, it often means 'it is over' in a tragic sense, such as a failed relationship or a ruined career.
- If you are eating at a restaurant and want to signal you are finished with your meal, it is more common to say ごちそうさまでした (gochisousama deshita) than to say 'I have finished'.
- The word 終わり ('owari'), the noun form of the verb in 終わりました, is famously used as a closing slide in Japanese films and animations, functioning like the English 'The End'.
Examples in context
- 宿題が終わりましたI have finished my homework
- 会議が終わりましたので、帰りますSince the meeting is over, I will go home.
- テスト終了! どうだった？Test finished! How did it go?
- 宿題が終わりました。Shukudai ga owarimashita.I have finished my homework.
- 仕事がやっと終わりました。Shigoto ga yatto owarimashita.I finally finished my work.
- レポートが終わりました！Repōto ga owarimashita!I finished the report!
Example conversation
At a cafe, Misaki is checking on Youta's progress with his studies.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君、勉強は終わりましたか？Youta-kun, benkyō wa owarimashita ka?Youta, have you finished studying?
- 陽太 Yotaはい、やっと終わりました。Hai, yatto owarimashita.Yes, I finally finished.
- 美咲 Misakiお疲れ様でした。Otsukaresama deshita.Good job.
- 陽太 Yota美咲さん、コーヒーを飲みませんか？Misaki-san, kōhī o nomimasen ka?Misaki, would you like to drink some coffee?
