Regular verb
The verb to finish
finish → finished → finished
A2Meaning: to complete something; to come to an end · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
finish / finishes(with -es) - Past Simple:
finished - Past participle:
finished - -ing form:
finishing
Conjugation of the verb to finish
Present Simple
| I | finish |
| You | finish |
| He / She / It | finishes |
| We | finish |
| You (pl.) | finish |
| They | finish |
Past Simple
| I | finished |
| You | finished |
| He / She / It | finished |
| We | finished |
| You (pl.) | finished |
| They | finished |
All the forms of the verb to finish
Present Simple
Full pagefinish / finishes
“I finish at 5pm.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are finishing
“I am finishing the exercise right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagefinished
“I finished my work.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were finishing
“I was finishing the exercise when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has finished
“I have already finished the exercise.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad finished
“She had already finished the exercise when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill finish
“I will finish the exercise tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to finish
“I'm going to finish the exercise this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould finish
“I would finish the exercise if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to finish
1. Finishing a task
- I finished my homework.
2. Finishing + -ing
After finish, use the -ing form: finish eating, not finish to eat.
- I finished eating.
A common mistake
1. I finished to eat ❌
After finish, the next verb takes -ing: I finished eating. Never finish to + verb.
Going further
Conjugating to finish is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to finish. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to finish on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to finish in class
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Related pages: finish
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of finish?+
The Past Simple of finish is finished. It is a regular verb: finish + -ed. In the Present Simple, it is finishes after he, she and it (-es after -sh).
Is it finish to do or finish doing?+
Say finish + -ing: I finished eating, not I finished to eat. It is a very common mistake. Enjoy, mind and suggest work in the same way: I enjoy reading.
What is the difference between finish and end?+
Finish is often for an action that someone completes: I finished my book. End is often for the moment when something stops: The film ended at 10.
Is it are you finished or are you done?+
Both ask if the person has completed something. Are you finished? is a little more formal. Are you done? is more common in speech, especially in American English. In a restaurant, a waiter often asks it before taking your plate.
What is the finish line?+
The finish line is the line at the end of a race (in British English, also the finishing line). She crossed the finish line first. It can also mean the end of a project: We're close to the finish line.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/finish
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.