German · Everyday Verbs
"to finish" in German: beenden
beenden
Note: also: fertig machen
To finish in German is beenden. Say Ich beende die E-Mail or Der Kurs ist beendet. Fertig machen is related but not this headword.
Work
Ich beende den Bericht heute.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce beenden
Say it
beh-EN-den
/bəˈʔɛndn̩/
beh-EN-den. Stress -en-. Soft final -en.
"to finish" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| beenden | to finish / end Default infinitive. | Default infinitive. |
| ich beende / du beendest | I/you finish Present forms. | Present forms. |
| beendet | finished / ended Past participle / present er/sie. | Past participle / present er/sie. |
| ein Gespräch beenden | to end a conversation Common object. | Common object. |
How to use beenden in real life
- 1Work
Ich beende den Bericht heute.
I will finish the report today.
Beende.
- 2Meeting
Können wir das Meeting beenden?
Can we finish the meeting?
Beenden infinitive.
- 3Status
Der Kurs ist offiziell beendet.
The course is officially finished.
Beendet.
Mistakes English speakers make with beenden
Incorrect: Mach das fertig. (only for this page)
Correct: Beende das.
Fertig machen is common; this headword is beenden.
Incorrect: Ich beende an den Bericht.
Correct: Ich beende den Bericht.
Beenden takes a direct object, no an.
Good to know
Beenden sounds a bit more formal than aufhören. Aufhören often means stop an activity; beenden stresses bringing something to an end.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Wrapping up a project call
ChatPal
Sollen wir jetzt beenden?
Should we finish now?
You
Ja, ich beende die letzte Folie.
Yes, I will finish the last slide.
ChatPal
Gut. Dann ist der Call beendet.
Good. Then the call is finished.
You
Ich beende noch die Notizen und schicke sie.
I will finish the notes and send them.
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 German
How do you conjugate beenden?
Ich beende, du beendest, er beendet; past participle beendet.
Finish the email?
Beende die E-Mail.
Fertig machen vs beenden?
Both end things; this page teaches beenden.
Meeting ended?
Das Meeting ist beendet.
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
