acabar con
Lemma Details
Translation: to finish off; to end; to destroy; to kill; to eliminate; to get rid of; to consume; to use up
Part of Speech: phrasal verb
Etymology: This phrasal verb combines 'acabar' (to finish, to end) with the preposition 'con' (with). 'Acabar' derives from Latin 'ad' (to) + 'caput' (head, end), literally meaning 'to bring to an end'. The combination with 'con' creates a more forceful meaning of completely finishing something or someone off.
Commonality: 80%
Guessability: 50%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
La guerra acabó con miles de vidas.
The war ended thousands of lives.
El gobierno quiere acabar con la corrupción.
The government wants to eliminate corruption.
Los niños acabaron con toda la comida.
The children finished off all the food.
La enfermedad acabó con sus fuerzas.
The illness drained all his strength.
Debemos acabar con este problema de una vez por todas.
We must end this problem once and for all.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'acabar con' as 'to finish WITH something' - emphasizing that the thing is completely gone or dealt with.
- Picture a cab (acabar) driving away with (con) something, taking it away forever.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
This phrasal verb is commonly used in Spanish to express the complete termination or destruction of something. It can range from neutral contexts like finishing food to more serious contexts like ending problems or even destroying enemies.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'acabar con' means to finish off or eliminate something, 'acabar de' means to have just done something in the immediate past.
Confused word:
Acabo de llegar a casa.
I have just arrived home.
Notes: 'Acabar con' focuses on the object being finished or eliminated, while 'acabar de' focuses on the recency of an action.
Mnemonic: 'Con' (with) takes something away completely; 'de' (of/from) refers to time just passed.
Explanation: While both mean 'to end with', 'acabar con' often has a stronger connotation of destruction or elimination, whereas 'terminar con' can be more neutral about simply ending a relationship or situation.
Confused word:
Terminó con su novia después de tres años.
He ended things with his girlfriend after three years.
Notes: In many contexts they can be interchangeable, but 'acabar con' often carries more force.
Mnemonic: Think of 'acabar con' as more final and complete (like 'annihilate'), while 'terminar con' is more like reaching a terminus or endpoint.