Signification
To be in the final stages of preparing.
Contexte culturel
Danes value punctuality, but 'ved at være klar' is a socially accepted way to ask for a few extra minutes. It's often used to avoid the stress of being exactly on time. In Greenlandic Danish, time can be more fluid. This phrase might be used more broadly to mean 'sometime soon' rather than 'in two minutes.' In a flat hierarchy, this phrase signals that you are taking responsibility for your deadline without needing a manager to check in on you. The preparation for hygge (lighting candles, setting the table) is a ritual. Being 'ved at være klar' is part of the anticipation.
The 'Lige' Trick
Add 'lige' (just) to sound even more native: 'Jeg er LIGE ved at være klar.'
Don't over-stall
If you say this more than twice, people will realize you aren't actually close to being ready!
Signification
To be in the final stages of preparing.
The 'Lige' Trick
Add 'lige' (just) to sound even more native: 'Jeg er LIGE ved at være klar.'
Don't over-stall
If you say this more than twice, people will realize you aren't actually close to being ready!
The Kitchen Rule
When a Dane says 'Maden er ved at være klar,' it means you have exactly enough time to finish your drink and sit down.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing words to say 'I am getting ready.'
Jeg ___ ved ___ være klar.
The correct auxiliary is 'er' (present tense of 'være') and the progressive marker is 'at'.
Which sentence is most natural when you are 90% finished with a task?
A: Jeg er klar. B: Jeg er ved at være klar. C: Jeg er ikke klar.
B indicates you are in the final stages of preparation.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kommer du snart? B: Ja, jeg skal lige have mine sko på, så ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.
This fits the context of needing a small amount of time to finish.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are cooking and the guests arrive 5 minutes early.
It tells the guests that food is coming soon.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesJeg ___ ved ___ være klar.
The correct auxiliary is 'er' (present tense of 'være') and the progressive marker is 'at'.
A: Jeg er klar. B: Jeg er ved at være klar. C: Jeg er ikke klar.
B indicates you are in the final stages of preparation.
A: Kommer du snart? B: Ja, jeg skal lige have mine sko på, så ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.
This fits the context of needing a small amount of time to finish.
Situation: You are cooking and the guests arrive 5 minutes early.
It tells the guests that food is coming soon.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes! 'Jeg er ved at være klar' (I am...) and 'Bilen er ved at være klar' (The car is...).
It's more descriptive. 'Næsten klar' is a state; 'ved at være klar' is a process.
Usually 2 to 10 minutes. Any longer and you should use a different phrase.
Yes, if you are asked if you are ready to start. 'Jeg er ved at være klar til nye udfordringer.'
The first is the main verb, the second is part of the 'ved at' construction.
Yes, that means 'I am about to be finished' with a task.
There isn't a direct opposite, but you could say 'Jeg er slet ikke klar' (I'm not ready at all).
Yes, 'ved at' is a fixed grammatical unit in this context.
Yes, many Danish pop songs use it to describe emotional readiness or anticipation.
Yes: 'Jeg var ved at være klar, da telefonen ringede.'
Expressions liées
at gøre sig klar
similarto get oneself ready
at være klar
builds onto be ready
at være færdig
synonymto be finished
lige om lidt
similarin just a moment
