Introduction
Learn how to use the simple Spanish phrase Terminamos después in everyday situations. This article explains meaning, nuance, pronunciation tips, common contexts, and many easy example sentences for complete beginners. By the end you will recognize and use Terminamos después in messages, classroom talk, work tasks, and casual conversation.
- What does Terminamos después mean?
- When to use Terminamos después
- Simple spoken examples
- Short message and note examples
- Classroom and study contexts
- Work and office situations
- Practical examples for daily life
- Variations and related phrases
- Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
- Pronunciation tips for beginners
- Short practice exercises
- Mini dialogues for practice
- Useful vocabulary related to Terminamos después
- Tips to remember the phrase
- Further practice ideas
- Conclusion
What does Terminamos después mean?
The phrase Terminamos después literally means we finish later or we end later. It is a short, useful expression for saying that something will end at a later time. Depending on tone and context, it can mean we will finish now and deal with something later, or that the whole activity will end later.
Key words:
Terminamos — we finish / we are done (from the verb terminar)
Después — later / after / afterward
When to use Terminamos después
Use Terminamos después in low-stress, everyday contexts when you want to postpone the end or completion of a task or activity. Common situations include:
in class when the teacher or students decide to finish an exercise later
in group work to postpone final edits
in casual conversation to say you will finish a task after another action
in short messages to tell someone you will finish later
Grammatical note
Terminamos is the first-person plural present or preterite form depending on context, but beginners will mostly see it as present meaning we finish or we are finishing. Después is an adverb that indicates time. Together they form a natural, short phrase.
Simple spoken examples
These short dialogues and phrases are realistic for learners to hear or say.
Teacher to students: Terminamos después, ahora guardan los cuadernos
We will finish later, now put away the notebooks
Group project: Terminamos después, primero hacemos la introducción
We’ll finish later; first let’s do the introduction
Friend texting: Terminamos después, estoy en la tienda
We finish later; I’m at the store
Parent to child: Terminamos después, primero cena
We’ll finish later; first dinner
Short message and note examples
Beginners often use or receive short written lines. Here are clear examples.
Note on an assignment: Terminamos después, el resto la semana que viene
We will finish later; the rest next week
Office sticky note: Terminamos después — reunión a las tres
We finish later — meeting at three
Text to friend: Terminamos después, voy a llegar tarde
We finish later, I will arrive late
Classroom and study contexts
Students and teachers will use this phrase often when adjusting timing during lessons or study sessions.
Teacher: Terminamos después, ahora explico la tarea
We finish later, now I explain the homework
Student group: Terminamos después, hay que revisar las notas
We finish later; we need to review the notes
Study reminder: Terminamos después, no olvides traer el libro
We finish later; don’t forget to bring the book
Work and office situations
Use Terminamos después professionally to postpone concluding meetings or reports, politely and briefly.
Meeting: Terminamos después, sigamos con el punto cuatro
We finish later; let’s continue with item four
Email note: Terminamos después, necesito más información
We finish later; I need more information
Colleague in person: Terminamos después, ahora respondo este correo
We finish later; now I’ll reply to this email
Practical examples for daily life
Everyday interactions often call for short phrases like Terminamos después.
At the bakery: Terminamos después, quiero comprar pan primero
We finish later; I want to buy bread first
While cleaning: Terminamos después, primero barrer el piso
We finish later; first sweep the floor
At the gym: Terminamos después, hacemos la última serie mañana
We finish later; we’ll do the last set tomorrow
Variations and related phrases
Knowing small variations helps you adapt the phrase naturally.
Terminamos más tarde — we finish later (more explicit about time)
Lo terminamos después — we finish it later (adds object lo)
Terminamos luego — we finish afterward (less common but acceptable)
No lo terminamos ahora, lo terminamos después — we don’t finish it now, we finish it later
Examples with variations
Project update: Lo terminamos después, falta revisar las cifras
We finish it later; we still need to check the numbers
Plan change: Terminamos más tarde, la cita se movió
We finish later; the appointment was moved
Clarifying time: Terminamos luego, después del almuerzo
We finish afterward; after lunch
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginners sometimes misuse verb form, omit articles, or confuse the word order. Here are typical errors with corrections.
Wrong: Terminamos ahora después — awkward order. Correct: Terminamos después
Wrong: Yo terminamos después — wrong subject-verb agreement. Correct: Terminamos después or Yo termino después
Wrong: Terminamos después lo — unnatural placement of object. Correct: Lo terminamos después
Pronunciation tips for beginners
Pronounce Terminamos as tehr-mee-NAH-mos with stress on the NA syllable. Pronounce Después as dehs-PWES. Keep a soft, clear t and r sounds; Latin American Spanish typically has a single r in this word, pronounced as a soft tap.
Practice repeating: Terminamos después — say it slowly, then at normal speed. Use it in short role plays to feel comfortable.
Short practice exercises
Use these simple drills to make the phrase natural.
1. Change the object: Replace lo with la or los for feminine or plural objects — La terminamos después, Los terminamos después
2. Add a time: Say when — Terminamos después a las siete
3. Form a question: Ask a classmate — ¿Terminamos después? Practice rising intonation.
Mini dialogues for practice
These quick conversations are realistic and beginner-friendly.
Person A: ¿Terminamos ahora?
Person B: Terminamos después, hay que revisar esto primero
Person A: Okay, gracias
Person A: Are we finishing now?
Person B: We finish later; we must review this first
Person A: Okay, thanks
Person A: ¿Terminamos el proyecto hoy?
Person B: No, lo terminamos después esta semana
Person A: Perfecto
Person A: Do we finish the project today?
Person B: No, we finish it later this week
Person A: Perfect
Useful vocabulary related to Terminamos después
Terminar — to finish
Después — later / after
Más tarde — later on
Ahora — now
Luego — then / afterward
Revisar — to review / to check
Tips to remember the phrase
Associate Terminamos with teamwork or group endings, and Después with waiting a little time. Make short flashcards with the Spanish phrase on one side and a simple English sentence on the other. Say the phrase out loud in context every day for a week.
Further practice ideas
Listen to slow Spanish dialogues and spot when speakers use phrases meaning we finish later. Record yourself saying the mini dialogues above, then compare with a language partner or tutor. Use the phrase in short text messages to real friends practicing Spanish; keep sentences short and clear.
Conclusion
Terminamos después is a compact, practical phrase for beginners that means we finish later. Use it in class, work, messages, and daily life. Practice simple variations, watch for common mistakes, and repeat short dialogues to gain confidence. Soon you will recognize and use Terminamos después naturally in many everyday situations.

