French · Everyday Verbs
"to finish" in French: finir
finir
Note: also: terminer
To finish in French is finir. Je finis means I finish. C'est fini means it's finished. Terminer is a cousin, but this page trains finir.
Homework
Tu finis tes devoirs et on sort.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce finir
Say it
fee-NEER
/fi.niʁ/
fee-NEER. Soft f; clear eer ending.
"to finish" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| finir | to finish Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je finis / tu finis | I finish / you finish Present. | Present. |
| fini(e) | finished Past participle / adjective. | Past participle / adjective. |
| finir de | to finish -ing Before an infinitive. | Before an infinitive. |
How to use finir in real life
- 1Homework
Tu finis tes devoirs et on sort.
Finish your homework and we'll go out.
Tu finis.
- 2Meal
J'ai presque fini mon assiette.
I've almost finished my plate.
Fini past participle.
- 3Workday
On finit à dix-huit heures.
We finish at six p.m.
On finit.
Mistakes English speakers make with finir
Incorrect: Je finish le livre.
Correct: Je finis le livre.
Use finir / finis.
Incorrect: C'est terminé, sans finir.
Correct: C'est fini.
For this headword, prefer fini from finir.
Good to know
Finir de + infinitive is common: finir de manger. Signs and kids' talk love c'est fini. Terminer overlaps in meaning; keep finir visible when you practice this word.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Wrapping up a project
ChatPal
Tu finis ton rapport ce soir ?
Are you finishing your report tonight?
You
Oui, je finis la dernière page.
Yes, I'm finishing the last page.
ChatPal
Dis-moi quand c'est fini.
Tell me when it's finished.
You
Dans une heure, promis.
In an hour, promise.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to finish" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to finish" in French
How do I say I finish?
Je finis.
How do I say it's finished?
C'est fini.
How do I say finish eating?
Finir de manger.
Is terminer wrong?
It means finish too, but practice finir here.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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