Prêt (or its feminine form, prête) is the most common way to say “ready” in French. But did you know there are several other options?

Whether you're preparing for an adventure, a meal, or just a simple outing, knowing how to express that you're 'ready' in various contexts can make your French sound much more natural and fluent.

Let’s dive into some common and less common ways to say “ready” in French, and learn when to use each one!

The standard 'ready' – prêt/prête

The most common and standard French word for 'ready' is prêt(e).

Like many French adjectives, prêt(e) must agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun it modifies. You'll see it in these forms:prêt - masculine singular (e.g., Il est prêt. - He is ready.)prête - feminine singular (e.g., Elle est prête. - She is ready.)prêts - masculine plural (e.g., Ils sont prêts. - They are ready.)prêtes - feminine plural (e.g., Elles sont prêtes. - They are ready.)

In French, prêt(e) is almost exclusively used with the verb être (to be) to form the expression 'to be ready'. For example, Je suis prêt(e) means 'I am ready'.

To say you are 'ready to do something', you use the construction être prêt(e) à + infinitive.Nous sommes prêts à partir. (We are ready to leave.)Es-tu prête à écouter ? (Are you ready to listen?)

To express being 'ready for something' (a noun), you use être prêt(e) pour + noun.Je suis prête pour l'examen. (I am ready for the exam.)Ils sont prêts pour le voyage. (They are ready for the trip.)

Be aware that prêt can also be a masculine noun meaning 'a loan' (un prêt) or the past participle of the verb prêter (to lend). However, when used as an adjective with être, it clearly means 'ready'.

Fortunately, the context usually makes it very clear whether prêt(e) is being used as the adjective 'ready' or as a noun/verb form. Pay attention to the surrounding words, especially the verb être.

💡 * Es-tu prêt à commander ? (Are you ready to order?)* Elle n'est pas encore prête. (She is not ready yet.)* Nous sommes prêts pour la fête ! (We are ready for the party!)* Les enfants sont prêts à jouer. (The children are ready to play.)* Je serai prêt dans cinq minutes. (I will be ready in five minutes.)

The 'ready' for action or to depart – paré/parée

In French, when you want to express that someone or something is 'ready' for action, a specific task, or especially 'ready to depart', the adjective paré/parée comes into play.

While prêt(e) is a more general term for 'ready', paré/parée often carries a nuance of being prepared, equipped, or 'all set' for a specific event, journey, or challenge. It implies a state of being fully prepared, often physically or logistically.

As an adjective, paré must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll use paré for masculine singular, parée for feminine singular, parés for masculine plural, and parées for feminine plural.

You'll frequently encounter it with prepositions like à or pour. For example, 'être paré à faire quelque chose' means 'to be ready to do something', and 'être paré pour le départ' means 'to be ready for departure'.

While prêt(e) (ready) is more common for general readiness (e.g., 'Are you ready?'), paré/parée suggests a more complete and often formal state of preparedness. Think of a ship being 'paré' to sail, or a team being 'paré' for a competition. It often implies a final check or a state of being fully equipped.

This term is particularly prevalent in contexts like travel, military, maritime, or any situation requiring meticulous preparation. It emphasizes that all necessary arrangements have been made and one is good to go.

💡 * Le navire est paré pour prendre la mer. (The ship is ready to set sail.)

Nous sommes parés à toute éventualité. (We are ready for any eventuality.)

Elle était parée pour son examen final. (She was ready for her final exam.)

Les athlètes sont parés pour la compétition. (The athletes are ready for the competition.)

Êtes-vous parés à partir ? (Are you ready to leave?)

The 'fully ready' or 'all set' – fin prêt/fin prête

The phrase fin prêt (masculine singular) or fin prête (feminine singular) is a common and idiomatic way to express that someone or something is 'fully ready' or 'all set'.

While prêt simply means 'ready', the addition of fin acts as an intensifier, meaning 'completely', 'thoroughly', or 'perfectly'. It emphasizes a state of absolute preparedness.

Like many French adjectives, prêt must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll see: fin prêt (masculine singular), fin prête (feminine singular), fins prêts (masculine plural or mixed group), and fins prêtes (feminine plural).

This expression is often used when talking about preparations for an event, a departure, a task, or a presentation. It conveys a sense of completion and readiness for action.

The key difference from just saying prêt is the degree of readiness. Fin prêt implies that all necessary steps have been completed, there are no last-minute details, and everything is in perfect order.

💡 * Nous sommes fin prêts pour le voyage. (We are fully ready for the trip.)

Elle est fin prête pour son entretien d'embauche. (She is all set for her job interview.)

Les documents sont fins prêts pour la signature. (The documents are completely ready for signing.)

Êtes-vous fin prêts à commencer la réunion? (Are you all set to start the meeting?)

The 'ready' in the sense of being willing or disposed – disposé/disposée

The French adjective disposé (masculine) or disposée (feminine) translates to “ready” in the specific sense of being willing, inclined, or disposed to do something.

As an adjective, disposé/disposée must agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun it modifies. It's often used with the verb être (to be).

It's crucial to distinguish disposé/disposée from other ways to express 'ready' (like prêt/prête). While prêt implies physical or logistical readiness, disposé emphasizes a mental state of willingness or inclination.

This adjective is very frequently followed by the preposition à and an infinitive verb, forming the construction être disposé à faire quelque chose, meaning 'to be willing to do something.'

💡 * Je suis disposé à vous aider. (I am willing to help you.)

Elle n'est pas disposée à accepter cette offre. (She is not disposed to accept this offer.)

Nous sommes tous disposés à faire des efforts. (We are all willing to make efforts.)

Sont-ils disposés à écouter nos propositions ? (Are they willing to listen to our proposals?)

Les élèves semblent disposés à apprendre. (The students seem disposed to learn.)

The 'ready to start' (idiomatic) – dans les starting-blocks

The idiomatic expression dans les starting-blocks literally translates to "in the starting blocks".

It signifies being "ready to start," "poised for action," or "on the verge of beginning something important."

This idiom is commonly used to describe a person, team, or project that is fully prepared and eager to commence an activity, a task, or a new phase.

Its origin lies in sports, specifically track and field, where athletes position themselves in starting blocks, ready to explode off the line at the sound of the gun.

While evocative, it's a relatively common and accepted idiom in everyday French, suitable for both formal and informal contexts when discussing readiness.

Think of it as the French equivalent of "all systems go" or "at the ready."

💡 * Le projet est dans les starting-blocks, nous attendons juste le feu vert. (The project is ready to start, we're just waiting for the green light.)

Elle est dans les starting-blocks pour sa nouvelle carrière. (She's poised for action for her new career.)

L'équipe est dans les starting-blocks pour le championnat. (The team is in the starting blocks for the championship.)

Dès que l'annonce sera faite, nous serons dans les starting-blocks. (As soon as the announcement is made, we'll be ready to go.)

The 'operational' or 'ready for use' (for equipment or people) – opérationnel/opérationnelle

The French adjective opérationnel/opérationnelle directly translates to “operational” or “ready for use” in English. It describes something that is functional, effective, and prepared to perform its intended task.

Most commonly, you'll hear opérationnel used to describe equipment, systems, or projects that are fully functioning and ready to be put into action. Think of a machine, a plan, or a service that has been tested and is now good to go.

It can also be applied to people, signifying that an individual is ready, fit, or capable of performing their duties or a specific task. In this context, it implies efficiency, readiness, and often, a professional capacity.

As an adjective, opérationnel must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll see it as opérationnel (masculine singular), opérationnelle (feminine singular), opérationnels (masculine plural), and opérationnelles (feminine plural).

This term is frequently used in professional, military, technical, and business contexts. It carries a sense of preparedness, effectiveness, and often, a formal readiness that goes beyond simple availability.

💡 * L'avion est opérationnel pour le vol de ce soir. (The plane is operational for tonight's flight.)

Notre nouvelle stratégie est enfin opérationnelle. (Our new strategy is finally operational.)

Après sa formation, il est maintenant pleinement opérationnel. (After his training, he is now fully operational.)

L'équipe est opérationnelle et prête à intervenir. (The team is operational and ready to intervene.)

La machine n'est pas encore opérationnelle. (The machine is not yet operational.)

The 'ready for anything' – prêt/prête à tout

The French phrase prêt à tout (masculine singular) or prête à tout (feminine singular) directly translates to "ready for anything." It describes someone who is prepared to face any situation, challenge, or consequence, often implying a strong determination or adaptability.

Like many French adjectives, prêt/prête must agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun it modifies. You'll use prêt à tout for a masculine singular subject (e.g., il est prêt à tout), prête à tout for a feminine singular subject (e.g., elle est prête à tout), prêts à tout for masculine plural, and prêtes à tout for feminine plural.

This expression is commonly used to highlight someone's resolve, resourcefulness, or even recklessness. It can convey a positive sense of preparedness and flexibility, or a more cautionary tone when implying someone would go to extreme lengths, regardless of the ethical implications.

💡 *Il est toujours prêt à tout pour défendre ses idées. (He is always ready for anything to defend his ideas.)
*Elle est prête à tout pour réussir son projet. (She is ready for anything to succeed in her project.)
*Nous sommes prêts à tout affronter ensemble. (We are ready to face anything together.)
*Soyez prêts à tout, car la compétition sera rude. (Be ready for anything, because the competition will be tough.)
*Mon chat est prêt à tout pour un peu d'attention. (My cat is ready for anything for a little attention.)

The 'ready to leave' or 'ready to go' – prêt/prête à partir

The expression prêt/prête à partir is a fundamental phrase in French meaning 'ready to leave' or 'ready to go'. It's essential for conveying readiness for departure in various contexts.

The adjective prêt (ready) must agree in gender and number with the subject it modifies. You'll use prêt for masculine singular, prête for feminine singular, prêts for masculine plural, and prêtes for feminine plural. The phrase always maintains the structure prêt(e)(s) à partir.

This versatile phrase is used constantly in daily French conversation. Whether you're talking about leaving home, a gathering, or embarking on a trip, prêt(e)(s) à partir clearly communicates that someone or something is prepared for departure.

💡 * Je suis prêt à partir. (I am ready to leave.)

Elle est prête à partir maintenant. (She is ready to go now.)

Nous sommes prêts à partir pour les vacances. (We are ready to leave for vacation.)

Les enfants sont prêts à partir à l'école. (The children are ready to leave for school.)

La valise est prête à partir. (The suitcase is ready to go.)

The 'ready for use' (for products or items) – prêt/prête à l'emploi

The French phrase prêt à l'emploi translates literally to 'ready for use' or 'ready for employment'. It's commonly used to describe products, items, or solutions that are immediately functional without requiring further assembly, preparation, or configuration.

Like many French adjectives, prêt (ready) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. You'll use prêt for masculine singular nouns and prête for feminine singular nouns. For plural forms, it becomes prêts (masculine plural) and prêtes (feminine plural).

This versatile phrase is frequently encountered in various contexts, particularly with consumer goods. Think of 'ready-made' meals, 'plug-and-play' electronic devices, or 'off-the-shelf' software. It emphasizes convenience and immediate functionality for the end-user.

While similar in structure, prêt à l'emploi should not be confused with prêt à porter, which specifically means 'ready-to-wear' and refers to factory-made clothing sold in finished condition. Prêt à l'emploi has a broader application, extending beyond fashion to any item or solution that is immediately operational.

💡 *Ce kit est prêt à l'emploi; vous n'avez qu'à l'ouvrir. (This kit is ready for use; you just have to open it.)
*Nous proposons des solutions logicielles prêtes à l'emploi. (We offer ready-to-use software solutions.)
*La pâte à crêpes est prête à l'emploi, il suffit de la faire cuire. (The pancake batter is ready for use, you just have to cook it.)
*Ces légumes sont déjà lavés et coupés, ils sont prêts à l'emploi. (These vegetables are already washed and cut, they are ready for use.)
*L'appareil photo numérique est prêt à l'emploi dès que vous insérez la batterie. (The digital camera is ready for use as soon as you insert the battery.)

Are there other ways to say 'ready' in French?

Our article has covered the most common and versatile ways to express 'ready' in French. However, French, like any rich language, offers a spectrum of expressions, from formal to casual, and even regional variations, that convey readiness in different nuances.

Beyond the main verbs and adjectives like prêt(e), you might encounter idiomatic expressions or slang terms. To explore further, you can search online for 'expressions pour dire prêt en français' or 'synonymes de prêt en français'.

When you discover new ways to say 'ready,' always take a moment to understand their specific context and connotation. Is it formal or informal? Does it imply a mental state or physical preparation? Using a good dictionary or observing native speakers will be key.

As you continue your French learning journey, pay close attention to how native speakers express readiness in various situations — whether in films, podcasts, or conversations. You'll naturally pick up on these subtle differences.

For a deeper dive into synonyms and related expressions, the WordReference entry for prêt is an excellent starting point. It often includes idiomatic phrases and usage notes that can be incredibly helpful.

I hope this article has equipped you with confidence to express 'ready' in French! Remember, mastering these nuances takes time and practice. As the French proverb says, « C'est en forgeant qu'on devient forgeron. » (It is by forging that one becomes a blacksmith, i.e., practice makes perfect.)

9 ways to say "ready" in French