Ending Up Doing Something: "Acabar por"
When travel doesn't go as planned, you can talk about what you "ended up" doing using acabar por.
Conjugate acabar (to finish/end) to match the subject, add the preposition por, and follow it with the infinitive of the action you eventually took.
- acabar (conjugated) + por
- infinitive
| When there is an unforeseen event, we end up altering the route. | Quando há um imprevisto, acabamos por alterar o percurso. |
| The car has a breakdown, therefore he ends up staying in the hostel. | O carro tem uma avaria, por isso ele acaba por ficar no albergue. |
| The train does not arrive, therefore the girl ends up asking for a ride. | O comboio não chega, por isso a rapariga acaba por pedir uma boleia. |
Adding Adverbs
If you use an adverb like sempre (always), it typically goes between the conjugated verb acabar and the preposition por.
| On this route, the motorbike always ends up breaking down. | Neste percurso, a mota acaba sempre por avariar. |
More Unplanned Events
Notice how the infinitive stays the same, while acabar changes to match who is doing the action.
| The tourist is desperate and ends up looking for our accommodation. | O turista está desesperado e acaba por procurar o nosso alojamento. |
| The forest where we end up camping is far from the city. | A floresta onde acabamos por acampar é longe da cidade. |
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