Have you ever noticed how the verb prendre can mean so many different things in French? While it’s often translated as “to take,” its use in idiomatic expressions frequently has nothing to do with taking something. The French expression prendre fin means “to come to an end.” You can download a PDF of this lesson guide in my private French Grammar Library.
This expression recently came up in my French Translation Club, and many of my students were unfamiliar with it. They found it to be an excellent addition to their vocabulary, because it’s a formal yet versatile way to describe the conclusion of an event, situation, or period of time.
In this lesson, we’ll explore prendre fin in detail, including examples in multiple tenses and tips for using it correctly.
The French Expression Prendre Fin
The French expression prendre fin means “to come to an end”. It’s a formal way to describe the conclusion of something, often used for events, situations, or time periods.
This phrase is an excellent example of how prendre (which literally means “to take”) can be used in idiomatic expressions that are not directly related to the idea of taking.
Examples of Prendre Fin in Different Tenses
| Présent | La réunion prend fin à midi. | The meeting is coming to an end at noon. |
| Futur proche | Le film va prendre fin dans cinq minutes. | The movie is going to come to an end in five minutes. |
| Passé Composé | La fête a pris fin plus tôt que prévu. | The party came to an end earlier than expected. |
| Imparfait | La guerre prenait fin lorsque les négociations ont commencé. | The war was coming to an end when the negotiations began. |
| Futur simple | La cérémonie prendra fin après le discours final. | The ceremony will come to an end after the final speech. |
| Conditionnel | Si tout allait bien, la crise prendrait fin bientôt. | If everything went well, the crisis would come to an end soon. |
| Plus-que-parfait | Le spectacle avait pris fin avant notre arrivée. | The show had come to an end before our arrival. |
| Subjunctive | Il est important que la discussion prenne fin à l’heure prévue. | It’s important that the discussion end on time. |
Formality
Prendre fin is a fairly formal expression. For informal settings, verbs like se terminer or finir are more common.
Avoiding Reflexive Verbs by Mistake
Prendre fin is not reflexive, unlike se terminer. Saying se prendre fin is incorrect.
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