Loading...
Over
#13
انتهى (intahā) is a past tense verb meaning 'ended,' 'finished,' or 'was over.' It describes the completion or termination of an action, event, or state. This common verb is essential for discussing completed activities and is typically used in the perfective aspect of Arabic.
Worksheets, games, and lesson plans for Years 1-11
Get a new Arabic word delivered to your inbox every day — with pronunciation, meaning, and cultural context.
انتهى الاجتماع في الساعة الخمسة مساءً.
Intahā al-ijtimā'u fī as-sā'ati al-khamsati masā'an.
The meeting ended at five o'clock in the evening.
هل انتهيت من واجبك المدرسي؟
Hal intahayta min wājibi-ka al-mudarrasī?
Have you finished your homework?
انتهت الحفلة قبل منتصف الليل.
Intahat al-hafla qabla muntasafi al-layl.
The party ended before midnight.
لما انتهى من الطعام، غسل يديه.
Lammā intahā min at-ta'ām, ghassala yadayh.
When he finished eating, he washed his hands.
انتهت الدراسة وبدأت العطلة.
Intahat ad-dirāsa wa-badā'at al-'utla.
Studies ended and the vacation began.
In Arabic daily conversation, انتهى is frequently used in both formal and informal contexts to mark the conclusion of events, meetings, work, or social gatherings. Arabic culture values punctuality and respecting time boundaries, making this verb particularly important in business and social settings. The verb reflects the Arabic conceptual framework of time as a linear progression toward completion.
Remember that انتهى is a past tense verb in its base form; to use it in present tense, use the related form ينتهي (yantahī). It can take a direct object (انتهى الاجتماع - the meeting ended) or be followed by 'من' (from/of) to indicate completion of an action (انتهى من العمل - finished from the work). Pay attention to gender agreement when using it with feminine subjects (انتهت for feminine singular).
The Arabic verb انتهى (intahā) is one of the most commonly used verbs in Arabic, expressing the completion or termination of an action, event, or state. Translated as "ended," "finished," or "was over," this word is essential for describing completed activities in past contexts.
انتهى is a regular Arabic verb in the past tense (perfective aspect). It follows the pattern of Form I verbs. The verb conjugates as follows:
The present tense form is ينتهي (yantahī), used for ongoing or habitual completion actions.
انتهى is used in numerous contexts, from formal business meetings to casual everyday conversations. It can be used transitively (with a direct object) or intransitively, and often takes the preposition "من" (from/of) when indicating completion of a specific task or action.
Examples in context:
Understanding related words enriches your grasp of completion concepts in Arabic:
In Arabic-speaking cultures, the concept of completion and marking transitions between activities is significant. The verb انتهى reflects the value placed on punctuality, respecting time boundaries, and clearly demarcating the end of professional and social engagements. Using this verb appropriately demonstrates cultural awareness and proper etiquette in formal and informal settings.
English speakers learning Arabic often make these mistakes with انتهى:
To use انتهى effectively, practice using it in your daily Arabic conversations. Start with simple statements about events ending, meetings finishing, or tasks completing. Gradually incorporate it into more complex sentences with dependent clauses and various subjects. Listening to native Arabic speakers discuss completed activities will help internalize its natural usage patterns.