German Phrase
Das Abendessen ist gleich fertig.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that the dinner will be ready very soon. ‘Gleich’ adds a sense of immediacy, so the wait is only a few minutes.
When to use
Use this phrase while cooking or when you want to let family or guests know that the meal is about to be served. It’s common in informal household conversation, especially around dinner time.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DasAbendessenistgleichfertig
Definite article (Das)
‘Das’ is the neuter nominative singular article, used because ‘Abendessen’ is a neuter noun.
Noun (Abendessen)
‘Abendessen’ means ‘dinner’ or ‘the evening meal’; it is neuter and takes ‘das’ as its article.
Verb ‘sein’ (ist)
‘ist’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of ‘sein’ (to be) and links the subject to the predicate adjective.
Adverb (gleich)
‘gleich’ means ‘in a moment, soon, right away’; it modifies the predicate adjective to express imminence.
Predicate adjective (fertig)
‘fertig’ is used predicatively after ‘sein’ and means ‘ready, finished’.
🗨In Conversation
Wie lange dauert das Kochen noch?
How much longer will the cooking take?
Das Abendessen ist gleich fertig.
The dinner is about to be ready.
✕Common Mistakes
Die Abendessen ist gleich fertig.
‘Abendessen’ is singular neuter, so the correct article is ‘das’, not ‘die’.
Das Abendessen ist fertig gleich.
Adverb ‘gleich’ should precede the adjective, not follow it.
Das Abendessen ist gleich fertig.
In very formal writing you might prefer ‘ist in Kürze fertig’, but ‘ist gleich fertig’ is perfectly natural in spoken German.
↔Alternatives
Das Essen ist gleich fertig.
The meal is about to be ready.
Das Abendessen ist fast fertig.
The dinner is almost ready.
Das Abendessen ist in Kürze fertig.
The dinner will be ready shortly.
Cultural Tip
In Germany, ‘Abendessen’ is usually the main meal of the day and is often served between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saying ‘gleich fertig’ is a friendly, informal way to tell people the food will be on the table soon. In more formal settings (e.g., a restaurant), you might use ‘in Kürze fertig’ or ‘bald servierbereit’. Also, note that Germans tend to eat together as a family, so announcing the imminent readiness of the meal is a common household ritual.