ya casi termino
/ʝa kasi teɾmino/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am almost done" is translated into Spanish as ya casi termino.
A phrase used to say that a person is very close to finishing a task.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ya (already), casi (almost) and termino (I finish).
Which one should you use?
While ya casi termino focuses on the act of finishing, a common synonym is ya casi acabo, which uses the verb acabar instead of terminar.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb termino is in the first-person singular present indicative. In this context, it is used to express an action that is currently in progress and nearing completion.
Did you know?
- While ya casi termino is safe, using the synonym ya casi acabo can be risky in some Latin American countries because acabar can be a slang term for reaching orgasm.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying ya casi termino is often used as a polite social white lie to signal that you are starting to wrap up, even if you have a lot left to do.
- The word casi is a 'semi-learned' borrowing, meaning it was shaped by scholars from the Latin 'quasi' rather than evolving naturally through common speech like many other words.
Examples in context
- Estimado/a profesor/a, ya casi he finalizado mi proyecto de investigación. Pronto podré entregárselo.Dear professor, I have almost finished my research project. I will be able to hand it to you soon.
- ¡Hola, equipo! Estoy a punto de terminar de preparar la cena. ¿Me pueden ayudar a poner la mesa?Hello, team! I am about to finish preparing dinner. Can you help me set the table?
- Compañero/a, ya estoy casi acabado/a con las tareas del día. ¿Necesitas ayuda con algo más?Colleague, I am almost done with the day's tasks. Do you need help with anything else?
- ¿Cuánto te falta? Ya casi termino.How much longer do you have? I am almost done.
- Ya casi termino con la limpieza.I am almost done with the cleaning.
- No te preocupes, ya casi termino.Don't worry, I am almost done.
- Ya casi termino de escribir el informe.I am almost done writing the report.
Example conversation
Daniel is finishing a drawing while Elena is waiting for him.
- DanielDaniel, ¿estás listo para salir?Daniel, are you ready to leave?
- ElenaEspera un poco, ya casi termino.Wait a bit, I am almost done.
- DanielLlevamos diez minutos esperando.We have been waiting for ten minutes.
- Elena¡Ya está! Solo faltaba un detalle.Done! Only one detail was missing.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casi, ya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
