Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "終わります" vs "渡す"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
終わります
おわります (owarimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
渡す
わたす (watasu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 終わります and 渡す are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
終わります (おわります (owarimasu)) represents "to finish, to end" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used for events, tasks, or time periods coming to an end. Often paired with が..
On the other hand, 渡す (わたす (watasu)) translates to "to hand over, to pass (something)" (Level: N4) and is used for Used when giving something directly to someone, or passing an item across. 相手に物を手渡しする際に使います。. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "終わります"
授業は3時に終わります。
The class finishes at 3 o'clock.
Bilingual Sentence for "渡す"
駅で友達に切符を渡しました。
I handed the ticket to my friend at the station.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "授業は3時に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "The class finishes at 3 o'clock.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "終わります" fits here because it represents "to finish, to end" in the context: "The class finishes at 3 o'clock.".