Translation guide
How to express completing an action in Japanese, using verbs like 終わる, 済む, and compound forms.
To say that someone finishes doing something, using the most common pattern.
Attach 終わる to the ます-stem of a verb to mean 'finish doing'. This is the most direct and common way.
I finished doing my homework.
I'll call you when I finish reading the book.
Often implies finishing something completely, sometimes with a nuance of regret or doing something unintentionally. In casual speech, ～ちゃう/～じゃう is common.
I finished writing the report (completely).
A more formal or literary way to say 'finish doing'. 終える is a transitive verb.
He finished speaking.
To express relief that an unpleasant task is over, or to say you've gotten it out of the way.
Often used in the form V (て-form) + 済む to mean 'get it done with' or 'be finished with', implying the task was a burden.
To emphasize that an action is done to completion, leaving nothing left.
Means to do something completely, to the end. Often used with verbs like 食べる, 読む, 走る.
To indicate that after finishing one action, another action occurs.
Simply states that after doing V, something else happens. It implies the first action is completed.
I finished eating it all.
宿題が済んだ。
I finished my homework (and I'm glad it's over).
I got the work done and over with.
When context implies relief, ～てしまう can mean 'finish (and be done with it)'.
I finally finished cleaning.
I finished reading the long novel (all the way through).
I finished running the marathon.
Means to do something exhaustively, use up, or do to the utmost. Stronger than 切る.
I exhausted all my ideas.
Let's go out after we finish eating.
Literally 'after doing', used to sequence events.
Let's go for a drink after we finish work.
The meeting is over (finally).
While V-stem + 終わる is correct, in casual speech it's often more natural to use ～てしまう or simply state the action is done with もう/た形. Overusing 終わる can sound stiff.