ya está
/ˌʝa esˈta/
In Spanish, 'all done' is expressed as ya está.
The phrase ya está is used to signal the completion of a task, similar to saying 'that's it' or 'all done' in English.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means 'already it is' or 'it is already' (ya means 'already' and está means 'is').
Which one should you use?
While ya está can mean 'all done' regarding a task, it is also frequently used to mean 'that's enough' in situations such as when someone is pouring a drink or adding something to a plate.
How does it change in a sentence?
To emphasize that an entire set of tasks is finished, you can add todo to the phrase to say ya está todo (everything is done).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌʝa esˈta/
Did you know?
- The word ya is a distant relative of the French word déjà, as both evolved from the Latin iam.
- In Spain, ya está can be used as a filler phrase in arguments to shut down a conversation, similar to saying 'enough already' or 'drop it'.
- In some Latin American dialects, adding ya to the beginning of a sentence can change a statement of fact into an expression of impatience.
Examples in context
- Acabé con mi tareaI'm done with my homework
- Acabé de comerI finished eating
- terminé de cocinarI finished cooking
- Ya está, terminé la tarea.All done, I finished the homework.
- ¿Ya está la comida?Is the food all done?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are finishing the dishes together.
- DanielMaría, ¿estás terminando con los platos?María, are you finishing with the dishes?
- MaríaSí, ya está. Ya podemos descansar.Yes, all done. We can rest now.
- DanielPerfecto, gracias por ayudarme.Perfect, thanks for helping me.
- MaríaDe nada, Daniel.You're welcome, Daniel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ya está, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
