German Phrase
Nee, ich bin fertig fürs Bett.
Meaning
Literally, “No, I’m ready for the bed.” In everyday English it translates to “No, I’m done, I’m ready to go to bed.” The ‘Nee’ signals a casual refusal or dismissal of a suggestion, while ‘fertig fürs Bett’ states that the speaker has finished what they were doing and is now prepared to sleep.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks if you want to keep doing something (e.g., stay out, keep chatting, watch another episode) and you want to politely but informally say you’re finished and heading to bed.
✦Grammar Breakdown
NeeichbinfertigfürsBett
Nee (colloquial Nein)
‘Nee’ is the informal spoken form of ‘Nein’. It’s used in casual conversation among friends or family.
ich bin (present of sein)
‘bin’ is the first‑person singular present of the verb ‘sein’ (to be).
fertig (adjective)
‘fertig’ means ‘ready’ or ‘finished’. When used with ‘sein’, it describes a state of completion.
fürs (contraction)
‘fürs’ is the spoken contraction of ‘für das’. It is very common in everyday German.
Bett (noun, neuter)
‘Bett’ is a neuter noun; the article in the phrase is already included in the contraction ‘fürs’.
🗨In Conversation
Möchtest du noch ein bisschen fernsehen?
Do you want to watch TV a bit longer?
Nee, ich bin fertig fürs Bett.
No, I’m done, I’m ready for bed.
✕Common Mistakes
Nee, ich bin fertig für das Bett.
While grammatically correct, native speakers almost always use the contraction ‘fürs’ in casual speech.
Nein, ich bin fertig fürs Bett.
‘Nein’ is correct but changes the register; it sounds more formal than the intended casual tone.
Nee, ich bin fertig zu Bett.
The preposition ‘zu’ does not collocate with ‘fertig’; you need ‘fürs’ or ‘ins’.
↔Alternatives
Nein, ich bin bereit fürs Bett.
No, I’m ready for bed.
Ich bin fertig, ich gehe ins Bett.
I’m done, I’m going to bed.
Ich bin müde, ich lege mich ins Bett.
I’m tired, I’m going to lie down in bed.
Cultural Tip
In German, saying ‘fertig fürs Bett’ is a common, informal way to announce you’re heading to sleep. The contraction ‘fürs’ is typical in spoken language, especially among younger speakers. If you want a more formal tone, replace ‘Nee’ with ‘Nein’ and you could say ‘Ich bin bereit, ins Bett zu gehen.’