afmaken

Afmaken is a Dutch verb with several related meanings. The core sense is to finish or complete something, but it can also mean to end someone’s life in informal, often violent, language. Because it is a separable phrasal verb built from af (off, to completion) and maken (to make), its prefix is linked to the verb in certain word orders.

In its most common use, afmaken means to finish a task or project. Examples include finishing an assignment, a meal, or a piece of work: "Ik maak mijn verslag af," "We moeten dit dossier afmaken." It is frequently used for bringing something to a close or adding the final touches: "We maken de laatste puntjes af."

In sports and competition, afmaken can mean to finish off an opponent or to close out a game with a decisive action: "De aanval maakte de tegenstander af met een doelpunt" or "We maakten de wedstrijd af in de laatste minuut."

In informal or slang usage, afmaken also means to kill someone or to eliminate someone. This sense is vulgar and carries criminal connotations; it is not appropriate in formal writing and should be used with caution in casual conversation.

Conjugation and grammar: as a separable verb, the prefix af appears in separate position in the sentence. Present tense: ik maak af; jij maakt af; hij maakt af. Past tense: ik maakte af / jij maakte af; perfect tense: ik heb afgemaakt.

Synonyms include afronden (to round off, to complete) and afwerken (to finish off, to complete finishing touches). The context determines whether afmaken refers to finishing tasks or to ending a life.