Are you familiar with the Spanish preposition entre? While the preposition entre in Spanish is most often a direct equivalent for the many uses of the English words "among" and "between," it can occasionally be utilized in slightly different ways and with different translations than its English counterparts. Today's lesson will explore many of its nuances.

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1. State Between Two Things 

According to the Dictionary of the Spanish language, the Spanish preposition entre "denotes the situation or state in between two or more things." Let's break up this definition into a few subcategories:

Relationships:

The Spanish preposition entre might describe the nature of a relationship "between" entities, whether talking about bloodlines or quality. Let's see an example of each:

La relación entre José y yo. ¿José es mi...? -Hermano.

The relationship between Jose and me. Jose is my...? -Brother.

Captions 19-20, Curso de español Vamos a hablar de la familia

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La relación entre mi papá y mi abuela era tan amistosa como la que tenía Rusia con Estados Unidos.

The relationship between my dad and my grandma was as friendly as the one Russia had with the United States.

Captions 8-9, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 2

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State:

Now, let's look at an example where entre describes the "state" between two things:

encontréis ese equilibrio entre cuerpo y mente.

you find that balance between body and mind.

Caption 60, Ana Teresa 5 principios del yoga

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Comparison:

And finally, like the English word "between," the Spanish preposition entre can be employed to compare things:

¿Y sabéis cuál es la diferencia entre la lava y el magma? 

And do you know what the difference between lava and magma is?

Caption 24, Aprendiendo con Silvia Los volcanes

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2. "Within" or "In"

The preposition entre in Spanish also comes up in some situations in which an English speaker might use the word "in" or "within." Examining two different captions from the same video, note that while the first has been translated with the more literal "among," it could be substituted with the English word "in," while "in" is probably the only suitable choice in the second example.

3. An Intermediate State

Another use of the Spanish preposition entre is to refer to an intermediate state between two or more things:

This Spanish preposition can furthermore depict an intermediate physical location:

4. "As One of"

The word entre in Spanish can likewise entail the idea of inclusion, as in the following two examples, where it could be replaced by the English phrase "as one of":

No gané el concurso, pero quedé entre los finalistas

I didn't win the contest, but I placed among the finalists,

Captions 46-47, Aprendiendo con Carlos El microrrelato - Part 3

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Entre ellos, tenemos estos burros de peluche que a la gente le gusta mucho.

Among them, we have these stuffed donkeys that people like a lot.

Captions 14-15, Santuario para burros Tienda solidaria

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5. Entailing Cooperation

As we see in the following examples, the Spanish preposition entre might also evoke the idea of collaborative effort:

Si podemos imaginarlo, entre todos podemos lograrlo.

If we can imagine it, among all of us, we can achieve it.

Caption 9, Con ánimo de lucro Cortometraje - Part 1

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El plato se llama "La Deli" y entre los tres le vamos a dar forma y la decoración.

The dish is called "The Deli," and between the three of us, we're going to give it shape and decorate it.

Caption 24, Misión Chef 2 - Pruebas - Part 7

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6. "According to the Custom of"

If you wish to speak about what is done customarily "among" particular groups, the Spanish preposition entre could additionally come in handy:

"Hermano" es una palabra que se usa mucho entre amigos 

"Brother" is a word that is used a lot among friends

Caption 35, Carlos comenta Confidencial - Jerga típica colombiana

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una serie argentina que es muy popular entre nuestros usuarios.

an Argentine series that is very popular among our users.

Captions 3-4, Carlos y Cyndy Comentario sobre Muñeca Brava

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7. Reciprocity

And finally, the preposition entre in Spanish can suggest reciprocity, in which case it might be translated with the English "each other."

y cómo se apoyaban entre ellos.

and how they supported each other.

Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Nacionalidades y adjetivos - Part 2

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se juntaban las españolas de ese pueblo para hablar entre ellas.

the Spanish women from that town would get together to talk to each other.

Captions 49-50, Soledad Amistades

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We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the many uses of the Spanish preposition entre, especially those that are slightly different than the manners in which its English equivalents "among" and "between" are employed. Feel free to write us with your questions and suggestions.

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Pero yo no me lo creo, así que decido hacer este documental. Con ánimo de lucro

But I don't believe it, so I decide to do this documentary. With Intent to Profit

Captions 26-27, Con ánimo de lucro - Cortometraje - Part 1

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Lucro means "gain" or "profit." Think "filthy lucre" as a mnemonic device.

Nosotros no somos coherentes si ponemos nuestro dinero primero, buscándole un gran lucro.

We're not being logical if we put our money first, looking for a big profit.

Captions 32-34, De consumidor a persona - Short Film - Part 6

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...si predomina la lógica del beneficio y del lucro sin límite.

...if the logic of benefit and unlimited profit predominates.

Caption 67, De consumidor a persona - Short Film - Part 7

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Frankly, it's a little surprising to have a documentary ostensibly about the quest to end poverty and hunger with the title Con ánimo de lucro ("With Intent to Profit" / i.e. "For-profit"). After all, to describe non-profit (or, not-for-profit) ventures in the Spanish-speaking world, the phrase "sin ánimo de lucro" (or, "sin fines de lucro") is commonly used... Well, future installments of this documental promise to explain this cryptic title.

The short film Con ánimo de lucro opens with a series of commands that bring to mind John Lennon's famous song "Imagine":

Imagina acabar con el hambre y la pobreza.

Imagine putting an end to hunger and poverty.

Caption 1, Con ánimo de lucro - Cortometraje

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So, what's that word right after Imagina (the familiar command form of imaginar, "to imagine")? It's the Spanish verb acabar, which most learners first encounter as a simple way to say "to end" or "to finish." But as this opening quote already hints, acabar has many more meanings in Spanish depending on how it's used. In this lesson, we'll walk through all of them — from the most basic to the most idiomatic — so you can start using this versatile verb with confidence.

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Acabar: The Basic Meaning of 'To End' or 'To Finish

Before we dive into the more nuanced uses, let's look at a couple of classic examples of acabar in its most common sense:

Al final...

In the end...

Nuestro caso no es distinto de otros casos que acabaron mal

Our case is not different from other cases that ended badly

Captions 13-14, Victor & Leo - Recuerdos de amor

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Vale, hemos acabado.

OK, we've finished.

Caption 69, Animales en familia Un día en Bioparc: Cachorro de leopardo - Part 2

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Now that we've covered the basics, let's explore the many other ways acabar is used in Spanish — starting with the non-reflexive forms. 

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Uses of Acabar (Non-Reflexive)

1. Acabar: "to end up"

One very common use of acabar is to express the idea of "ending up" — arriving at a place or result, sometimes unexpectedly:

y seguro que iba a acabar en la basura, ¿no? 

and for sure it was going to end up in the trash, right?

Caption 49, 75 minutos Gangas para ricos - Part 5

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5. Acabar de + infinitive: "to have just" (done something)

This is one of the most important and frequently used structures with acabar. Acabar de + infinitive expresses the idea of having "just" completed an action:

Isabel Zavala acaba de salir del edificio.

Isabel Zavala just left the building.

Caption 3, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 15

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6. Acabar por + infinitive: "to finally" (do something)/"end up" (doing something)

Acabar por + infinitive conveys the idea of eventually or finally doing something — often after a process or struggle:

Acabé por decirle la verdad. 

I finally told him the truth. 

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Uses of Acabarse (Reflexive)

The reflexive form acabarse opens up a whole new set of meanings. Here are the most common ones Spanish learners should know:

You'll often encounter acabarse in what's known as the "no fault" or involuntary se construction. Notice how in the example below, acabarse is conjugated in the third person singular to agree with el tiempo (the subject), while the indirect object pronoun nos tells us who is affected:

9. Acabarse (to be over)

Finally, acabarse can mean "to be over" — and you'll often hear it in dramatic, emotionally charged moments, most frequently in the preterite tense:

Anda, ¡para! ¡ya! ¡Ya está, se acabó! 

Come on, stop! Now! That's it, it's over!

Captions 28-29, Carolina - Acentos

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Other colloquial translations for ¡Se acabó! include "That's it!" or "That's that!" — and you'll hear it a lot in everyday conversation.

Se acabó, yo no voy a insistir.

That's it, I'm not going to insist.

Caption 1, Muñeca Brava 48 - Soluciones - Part 5

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Mastering Acabar in Spanish: A Quick Reference

Here's a summary of all the meanings of acabar and acabarse covered in this lesson:

• Acabar — To end / finish: El partido acabó.

• Acabar — To end up: Acabó en la basura.

• Acabar con (algo) — To put an end to something: Acabar con el hambre.

• Acabar con (alguien) — To break up with someone: Acabar con mi novio.

• Acabar con (alguien) — To finish off / kill: Acaben con él.

• Acabar de + infinitive — To have just done something: Acabo de llegar.

• Acabar por + infinitive — To finally / end up doing something: Acabé por decirle la verdad.

• Acabarse — To run out: Se acabó la leche.

• Acabarse — To sell out: Las entradas se acabaron.

• Acabarse — To be over: ¡Se acabó!

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And Colorín Colorado... This Lesson on Acabar Has Ended!

On that note, we'll leave you with one of the most beloved expressions featuring acabarse:

Y colorín colorado, este cuento se ha acabado.

And snip, snap, snout, this tale's told out" [Literally: Red, red-colored, this tale has ended"].

Caption 65, Cleer La princesa y el guisante

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This charming phrase — the Spanish equivalent of "And that's all, folks!" — is a staple at the end of children's stories. We hope this lesson has given you a much clearer picture of everything acabar can do in Spanish. Got questions? Something you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you — drop us a line with your thoughts and questions. ¡Hasta la próxima!