закрыва́ть vs зака́нчивать

zakryvat vs zakanchivat — close vs finish

What it really means

Закрыва́ть means to close something physically or to shut access to it. It is used for doors, windows, shops, files, accounts, and institutions, and can also mean close down or shut off: закрывать магазин. The action concerns a boundary or availability; its perfective counterpart is закры́ть.

Зака́нчивать means to finish, complete, or bring an activity, period, or task to an end. Use it for work, lessons, books, conversations, and events: заканчивать проект or заканчивать урок. It can also mean graduate from an institution in colloquial usage, but it does not mean physically closing a door. Its perfective counterpart is зако́нчить.

Examples in natural speech

Я закрыва́ю окно перед сном.
I close the window before bed.
Магазин закрыва́ют в девять часов.
The shop closes at nine o’clock.
Мы зака́нчиваем работу в шесть.
We finish work at six.
Она зака́нчивает читать статью.
She is finishing reading the article.
Когда ты зака́нчиваешь университет?
When are you graduating from university?

Common mistakes

Do not translate English “close” as зака́нчивать when a physical opening is being shut; use закрыва́ть. Do not use закрыва́ть for finishing a task or lesson. For completed actions, use закры́ть (close) and зако́нчить (finish), with stress on the final stem syllable.

Memory tip

A door or business closes with закрыва́ть; a task, class, or period finishes with зака́нчивать.

Frequently asked questions

Can закрыва́ть mean “close a business”?

Yes: закрыва́ть магазин can mean close the shop temporarily or shut it down, depending on context.

Does зака́нчивать mean graduate?

It can mean attend and complete an institution in conversational usage: заканчивать университет.

How do their perfectives differ?

Закры́ть means close, while зако́нчить means finish or complete.

Note: This site uses JavaScript for interactive drills, audio playback, and progress tracking. Please enable JavaScript for the full experience.