What does acabar de + infinitive mean in Spanish?

Acabar de + infinitive expresses that an action just happened, equivalent to English just + past tense. Acabo de llegar = I just arrived. Acaba de salir = He just left.

Why does acabar mean to just do something instead of to finish?

Acabar by itself does mean to finish (Acabé el libro = I finished the book). But in the construction acabar de + infinitive, the meaning shifts to expressing recent completion (just did). Both meanings coexist depending on the structure.

What's the difference between acabar de and present perfect?

Acabar de + infinitive emphasizes the very recent timeframe (just). Present perfect (he comido = I have eaten) covers a wider window, anything past with present relevance. Acabo de comer is moments ago; He comido hoy is anytime today.

How do I say had just done something in Spanish?

Use the imperfect of acabar + de + infinitive: Acababa de llegar = I had just arrived. Usually paired with a cuando + preterite clause: Acababa de llegar cuando llamaste = I had just arrived when you called.

How can I master acabar de + infinitive?

Practice replacing past tense statements with the acabar de structure. Acabo de + verb fits naturally into everyday conversation, once you start using it, it becomes automatic. Parrot's daily videos feature it constantly in recent-action contexts.

Spanish grammar · Intermediate

Acabar de + Infinitive: Spanish's Just Done Construction

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Acabar de + infinitive expresses what just happened, actions completed in the very recent past. Acabo de llegar = I just arrived. Use present of acabar for just now, imperfect for had just.

Acabo de llegar.

I just arrived.

What it is

Acabar de + infinitive expresses what just happened, actions completed in the very recent past, equivalent to English just + past tense. Acabo de llegar = I just arrived. Use the present of acabar for just now actions, the imperfect for had just actions.

In Acabo de llegar (I just arrived), acabo is acabar conjugated for yo, de is the obligatory preposition, and llegar is the infinitive of the action that just happened.

How to spot it

Look for a form of acabar (acabo, acabas, acaba, acabamos, acabáis, acaban) + de + an infinitive.

Acabo de comer. — I just ate.
Acaba de salir. — He just left.
Acabamos de llegar. — We just arrived.

Acabar by itself means to finish, but acabar de + infinitive doesn't mean to finish doing X. It means to just do X (recent completion).

Acabar de + Infinitive Quick Reference

Acabar (present) + de + infinitive

Person	Acabar Form	Example
yo	acabo	acabo de llegar
tú	acabas	acabas de llegar
él/ella/Ud.	acaba	acaba de llegar
nosotros	acabamos	acabamos de llegar
vosotros	acabáis	acabáis de llegar
ellos/Uds.	acaban	acaban de llegar

Common Acabar de + Infinitive Examples in Spanish

Acabar de + infinitive frames an action as having just happened, recent enough that it still matters:

Just Arrived / Just Left

Acabo de llegar.: I just arrived.
Acaba de salir.: He just left.
Acabamos de volver.: We just got back.

Standard for narrating very recent arrivals or departures.

Just Ate / Just Spoke

Acabo de comer.: I just ate.
Acaban de hablar.: They just spoke.
Acabas de despertarte.: You just woke up.

Pronouns can attach to the infinitive: acabas de despertarte or te acabas de despertar.

Just Saw / Just Heard

Acabo de ver a Juan.: I just saw Juan.
Acaba de oír la noticia.: He just heard the news.
Acabamos de leer el libro.: We just read the book.

Standard for very recent sensory / cognitive events.

Imperfect: Acababa De (Had Just)

Acababa de llegar cuando llamaste.: I had just arrived when you called.
Acababan de salir.: They had just left.

Use imperfect of acabar for had just, usually with a cuando clause showing what interrupted.

How to Use Acabar de + Infinitive

Conjugate Acabar + de + Infinitive

Conjugate acabar in present (acabo, acabas, acaba, acabamos, acabáis, acaban) and add the preposition de + the infinitive of the main verb.

Acabo de comer. Acabas de salir. Acabamos de hablar.

I just ate. You just left. We just spoke.

The de is mandatory, never drop it. Acabo comer is wrong; acabo de comer is right.

Present Tense = Just Did

Present of acabar + de + infinitive expresses an action that just happened (English just + simple past).

Acabo de llegar.

I just arrived.

Note the tense mismatch: Spanish uses present (acabo) where English uses past (just arrived). Both refer to a very recent past action.

Imperfect Tense = Had Just Done

Imperfect of acabar + de + infinitive expresses a had just action, recent in the past, often interrupted.

Acababa de llegar cuando llamaste.

I had just arrived when you called.

Use imperfect to anchor it in past narrative; preterite of acabar would mean something different (I finished doing X).

Pronoun Placement Flexible

Object and reflexive pronouns can attach to the infinitive OR go before acabar, both correct.

Acabo de verlo. = Lo acabo de ver.

I just saw it / him. (Both correct.)

Both placements are common in native speech.

Common Mistakes with Acabar de + Infinitive

Incorrect: Acabo llegar. — I just arrived. (wrong, missing de)

Correct: Acabo de llegar. — I just arrived.

The preposition de is mandatory. Acabar de + infinitive is a fixed construction.

Incorrect: Acabé de llegar. (using preterite for just arrived) — I just arrived.

Correct: Acabo de llegar. — I just arrived.

For I just arrived, use PRESENT of acabar (acabo). The preterite acabé means I finished, a different meaning.

Incorrect: Acabo de comido. — I just ate. (wrong, needs infinitive, not participle)

Correct: Acabo de comer. — I just ate.

After acabar de, always use the INFINITIVE (comer), never a past participle (comido).

Imperfect Form: Acababa De

Had Just Done

For past narrative, when something had just happened (often when something else interrupted), use the imperfect of acabar + de + infinitive.

Acababa de llegar cuando llamaste.: I had just arrived when you called.
Acababan de salir cuando empezó a llover.: They had just left when it started to rain.

Pairs naturally with cuando + preterite to show the interruption.

Don't Use Preterite of Acabar

Acabé de llegar means I finished arriving (the act of completion), NOT I just arrived. To express recently completed past, stick to present or imperfect.

Acabo de comer. (just ate, current relevance): I just ate.
Acababa de comer cuando llegó. (had just eaten): I had just eaten when he arrived.

Preterite of acabar means to finish, a literal completion meaning, distinct from the just construction.

Acabar de + Infinitive FAQs

What does acabar de + infinitive mean in Spanish?: Acabar de + infinitive expresses that an action just happened, equivalent to English just + past tense. Acabo de llegar = I just arrived. Acaba de salir = He just left.
Why does acabar mean to just do something instead of to finish?: Acabar by itself does mean to finish (Acabé el libro = I finished the book). But in the construction acabar de + infinitive, the meaning shifts to expressing recent completion (just did). Both meanings coexist depending on the structure.
What's the difference between acabar de and present perfect?: Acabar de + infinitive emphasizes the very recent timeframe (just). Present perfect (he comido = I have eaten) covers a wider window, anything past with present relevance. Acabo de comer is moments ago; He comido hoy is anytime today.
How do I say had just done something in Spanish?: Use the imperfect of acabar + de + infinitive: Acababa de llegar = I had just arrived. Usually paired with a cuando + preterite clause: Acababa de llegar cuando llamaste = I had just arrived when you called.
How can I master acabar de + infinitive?: Practice replacing past tense statements with the acabar de structure. Acabo de + verb fits naturally into everyday conversation, once you start using it, it becomes automatic. Parrot's daily videos feature it constantly in recent-action contexts.