Translation guide
How to express the act of completing the reading of a book, article, or other text in Japanese.
本を読み終わりました。
I finished reading the book.
To say that you have finished reading a specific book, article, or document.
The most common and natural way to say 'finish reading'. It is a compound verb combining 'read' (読む) and 'finish' (終わる).
昨日、その本を読み終わりました。
I finished reading that book yesterday.
この記事を読み終わったら、教えてください。
Please let me know when you finish reading this article.
Emphasizes reading something completely, often implying it was long or challenging. Slightly more emphatic than 読み終わる.
長い小説を一晩で読み切りました。
I finished reading a long novel in one night.
A formal, literary term often used in book reviews or academic contexts. Not used in everyday conversation.
この本を読了した感想を述べます。
I will share my thoughts after finishing reading this book.
To indicate that you have finished reading something aloud, such as a story to a child or a passage in class.
Works for both silent and aloud reading. Context clarifies the mode.
子供に絵本を読み終わりました。
I finished reading the picture book to my child.
Specifically means 'finish reading aloud'. 読み上げる means 'to read out loud'.
議事録を読み上げ終わりました。
I finished reading the minutes aloud.
読み終わる is neutral and simply states completion. 読み切る adds a nuance of 'reading through to the end', often implying effort or volume. Use 読み切る when you want to emphasize that you managed to finish a long or difficult text.
この分厚い本を一週間で読み切った。
I managed to finish reading this thick book in a week.