Ik ben klaar met het eten.

I

Breakdown of Ik ben klaar met het eten.

• zijn: to be
• met: with
• klaar: finished
• het eten: the meal

Questions & Answers about Ik ben klaar met het eten.

What does klaar mean in this sentence?

In this context, klaar means "finished" or "done." So, Ik ben klaar met het eten translates to "I am finished with the food" (i.e., I’m done eating). Although klaar can sometimes mean "ready," here it clearly indicates that the action of eating has been completed.

Why is the preposition met used after klaar?

The preposition met links the adjective klaar with what is finished—in this case, het eten (the food). In Dutch, when expressing that you’re done with something, the phrase klaar met is used, similar to saying "done with" in English.

How would I express the idea of having finished eating using a different structure in Dutch?

Another common way to express that you have finished eating is by using the verb hebben in the present perfect form. For example, you could say Ik heb gegeten, which translates to "I have eaten." However, Ik ben klaar met het eten places emphasis on the fact that you are now finished with the eating process.

Can klaar mean both "ready" and "finished"? How do I know which meaning is intended?

Yes, klaar can mean both ready and finished. The intended meaning usually depends on the context and the accompanying words. In the sentence Ik ben klaar met het eten, the phrase met het eten clarifies that the meaning is "finished with eating," rather than being ready to do something else.

Does het eten refer to the food or the act of eating?

Het eten can refer to both the food itself and the act or event of eating (i.e., the meal). In everyday usage, especially in this sentence, it usually implies the entire eating process or the meal. The context of the sentence makes it clear that the speaker is indicating they are done with the meal.