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German Phrase

Hast du das Menü schon fertig?

/hast duː das ˈmeːny ˈʃoːn ˈfɛʁtɪç/
Meaning"Have you already finished the menu?"
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Meaning

Literally, ‘Have you the menu already finished?’ – in natural English: ‘Have you already finished the menu?’ It is used to ask whether someone has completed preparing a menu, whether for a restaurant, a party, or a cooking plan.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you want to check the status of a menu that someone is preparing. It works in both professional kitchen settings and informal home‑cooking contexts, especially when you expect the menu to be ready soon.

✦Grammar Breakdown

HastdudasMenüschonfertig?

1

Perfekt auxiliary (haben)

In the Perfekt tense, 'haben' is used as the auxiliary verb for most verbs and some adjective constructions, and it is conjugated to match the subject.

2

Subject pronoun (du)

The informal second‑person singular pronoun, placed directly after the auxiliary in questions.

3

Accusative object (das Menü)

The noun 'Menü' is neuter; the definite article 'das' marks it as accusative here.

4

Adverb (schon)

‘schon’ means ‘already’ and is used to ask whether something has been completed earlier than expected.

5

Predicative adjective (fertig)

‘fertig’ functions like a short form of ‘fertig sein’; in colloquial German the verb ‘sein’ can be omitted after ‘haben’ in this construction.

🗨In Conversation

A

Hast du das Menü schon fertig?

Have you already finished the menu?

Ja, ich habe es gerade abgeschlossen. Es steht jetzt im Ordner.

Yes, I just finished it. It’s now in the folder.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Bist du das Menü fertig?

    ‘Bist du … fertig?’ is only correct with the preposition ‘mit’, e.g., ‘Bist du mit dem Menü fertig?’

  • Hast du das Menü fertig schon?

    Adverb ‘schon’ normally precedes the adjective ‘fertig’, not follows it.

  • Hast du Menü fertig?

    The definite article ‘das’ is required because ‘Menü’ is a specific menu, not a generic one.

↔Alternatives

  • Hast du das Menü bereits fertig?

    Have you already finished the menu?

  • Ist das Menü schon fertig?

    Is the menu already ready?

  • Bist du mit dem Menü fertig?

    Are you done with the menu?

de

Cultural Tip

In German, ‘schon’ can add a subtle sense of expectation – the speaker assumes the menu should be ready by now. When talking about a restaurant’s set menu, you would more likely say ‘Ist das Menü fertig?’ but when referring to a personal cooking plan, the construction with ‘schon fertig’ is common. Also, ‘Menü’ can refer to a printed list of dishes or a digital file, so the context determines whether you’re asking about a culinary creation or a document.