Completing an action with 〜終わる

Grammar: Time and Sequence » 〜終わる

To convey the completion of an action, 終(お)わる is attached to the stem of the verb.

Usage

In non-past tense, this means the action will (or will not) be completed. In past-tense, it means the action has (or has not) been completed.

終(お)わる is typically attached to transitive verbs, but may also be attached to intransitive verbs.

Examples

Drinking completely with 〜終わる

Chino explains that for coffee fortune telling, after the coffee is completely drank (finished drinking), fortune telling is done on the remaining patterns.

チノ:

「飲(の)み終(お)わった後(あと)に残(のこ)ったコーヒーの模様(もよう)で占(うらな)うんです」

Step:

「① 飲(の)みおわる」

“① Finish drinking”

In Chino’s dialogue, 終(お)わる is used because finishing a drink is the normal completion of the action of drinking.