Okay, so today’s share is all about how to say “done” in French. Sounds simple, right? Well, kinda. I figured I’d just look it up real quick and be done with it, but things got a little more interesting than I expected.
First thing I did, I hit up Google. Typed in “how do you say done in French.” The top result popped up: “fini/-ie.” Okay, cool. “Fini.” Sounds easy enough. But then I started thinking…is it always “fini”?
I remembered a conversation I had with a French friend a while back about finishing a project. I’m pretty sure he didn’t just say “fini.” So, I decided to dig a little deeper. I wanted to know, like, the real deal.
I started thinking about different ways we use “done” in English. Like, “I’m done with this!” (meaning I’m finished and annoyed). Or, “Is the report done?” (meaning completed). Or even, “Done deal!” (meaning agreed). I knew there had to be nuances in French too.
Next up, I jumped over to some online forums for language learners. I started searching for threads about “fini vs. other ways to say done.” Bingo! Found a bunch of discussions.
Turns out, “fini” is your basic “finished.” Like, if you’ve finished eating your meal, you can say “J’ai fini.” (I have finished). Makes sense.
But then I found out about “terminé.” Apparently, it’s another word for “finished,” but it’s often used for things that are more…well, terminated. Like a contract or a relationship. Also, it can be used interchangeably with “fini”, but sounds more formal.
Then there’s “c’est bon.” This one threw me for a loop at first. But apparently, it can mean “done” in the sense of “that’s enough” or “it’s ready.” Like, if you’re cooking something and someone asks if it’s done, you can say “C’est bon!”
And of course, for “Done deal!”, there’s the classic “C’est entendu!” or “Marché conclu!”.
So, after all that digging, here’s what I learned:
- Fini/Finie: General “finished.” Use it for tasks, meals, etc. Remember to make “finie” for feminine nouns.
- Terminé/Terminée: Also “finished,” but more formal or for things that are definitively ended.
- C’est bon: “That’s enough,” “It’s ready,” or “it’s done” (in the sense of being ready).
- C’est entendu!/Marché conclu!: “Done deal!”
The best part? I tried using “C’est bon!” when my French friend asked if I was finished with my coffee. He laughed and said, “Oui, c’est bon!” Felt like a small victory!
So, yeah, that’s how I tackled the whole “how do you say done in French” question. It started with a simple search, but ended up being a fun little dive into the nuances of the language. I’m not saying I’m an expert now, but at least I won’t just blindly say “fini” all the time.
