finirla

Finirla is an Italian phrasal verb formed from the verb finire (to finish) with a clitic object pronoun la, meaning it finishes or ends something feminine. The combination is used both to indicate finishing a task or object and, more commonly in colloquial speech, to urge someone to stop doing something. The pronoun la refers to a feminine singular noun or to a feminine concept previously mentioned, such as la storia (the story) or la situazione (the situation).

Common use and nuances

The basic sense is “to finish it” or “to end it.” For example, Devo finirla subito means “I have to finish it right away.” The expression also appears in imperative form as a stand‑alone exclamation: Finirla! roughly means “Stop it!” or “Give it up!” More explicit forms include finirla con questa storia (“end it with this story,” i.e., stop this story) or finirla una volta per tutte (“end it once and for all”). The phrase can refer to concrete tasks or to habitual or abstract behaviors, depending on context and accompanying words.

Grammar and variants

La is the feminine singular direct object pronoun; when the object is masculine or plural, different pronouns are used (lo for masculine singular, li for masculine plural, le for feminine plural). In past tense, the phrase can appear as L’ho finita, meaning “I finished it,” where finita agrees in gender with la. The construction is common in spoken Italian and informal writing, and less typical in formal prose.

See also: finire, clitic pronouns, Italian verb phrases.