They Are Not Ready in Spanish | Correct Phrases And Context

The cleanest everyday translation is “No están listos/as,” using the group’s gender, or “Todavía no están listos/as” when you mean “not yet.”

“They are not ready” comes up in daily life: people still getting dressed, a team not set to start, a report that isn’t finished, dinner that needs more time. Spanish has a simple core phrase, yet small grammar choices change the message. This article gives you the forms you’ll use most, plus a few alternatives for specific situations, so you can say it cleanly in texts and in conversation.

What “Not Ready” Usually Means In Spanish

In English, “not ready” often means one of these:

• Prep isn’t done.
• They can’t start yet.
• Something isn’t finished and can’t be used yet.

Spanish commonly expresses those ideas with estar + an adjective. In day-to-day talk, “ready” is often listo. That gives you the basic pair you’ll lean on:

• No están listos (mixed group or all men)
• No están listas (all women)

They Are Not Ready in Spanish: Forms That Sound Natural

If you want a single phrase that fits most situations, use No están listos or No están listas. The verb is estar because you’re describing a current state.

Pick The Right Gender And Number

Listo changes to match who or what you mean:

• No está listo (one man)
• No está lista (one woman)
• No están listos (men or mixed group)
• No están listas (women)

If the group is mixed, Spanish defaults to the masculine plural listos. That’s the standard rule, even if there’s only one man in the group.

Add “Not Yet” Without Sounding Stiff

English often implies “not yet.” Spanish can say it directly with todavía or aún:

• Todavía no están listos/as.
• Aún no están listos/as.

Say What They Aren’t Ready To Do

When you mean “ready to + verb,” Spanish uses estar listo para + infinitive or noun phrase:

• No están listos para salir.
• No están listos para empezar.
• No están listos para la reunión.

A nearby option is estar dispuesto a, which leans toward willingness. If you see it in writing, FundéuRAE notes that estar dispuesto goes with a (not de) when it carries the sense of being ready or fit for something. FundéuRAE note on “estar dispuesto a” covers that point.

Estar Vs Ser: The One Switch That Changes Meaning

Here’s the trap: ser listo often means “to be clever,” not “to be ready.” So No son listos can land as “They aren’t smart.” That’s not what most people mean.

Spanish often uses estar for states tied to a situation, while ser often points to traits or classification. The RAE’s Diccionario panhispánico de dudas explains that estar is generally used when the speaker treats the quality as linked to a specific situation or as non-permanent, while ser is used when the quality is treated as stable or inherent. RAE DPD entry on “estar” lays out that contrast.

When you mean “not ready right now,” estar is the safe verb.

When “Ready” Means “Finished”

Spanish also uses estar listo when something is done and ready to use:

• La cena no está lista.
• Los documentos no están listos.

Alternatives That Fit Specific Situations

No están listos/as is the everyday option, yet Spanish gives you other choices when you want to name what’s missing.

Use “Preparado” When You Mean Prepared

Preparado can feel more literal, like prep work is incomplete:

• No están preparados/as.

Use “Disponible” When You Mean Available

Sometimes “not ready” means “not available to take this now.” Then disponible can be a better fit:

• No están disponibles ahora.

Use “Terminar” When You Mean Not Finished

When a task is incomplete, Spanish may say it directly:

• No han terminado.
• No está terminado.

Common Mix-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Most mistakes come from translating word-by-word. Fixing them is simple once you know what Spanish is hearing.

Mix-Up 1: “No son listos”

If you say No son listos, many listeners will hear a comment about intelligence. Use No están listos/as for readiness.

Mix-Up 2: Dropping The Accent In “Están”

Estan without the accent is not standard Spanish. Keep están in writing.

Mix-Up 3: Using The Wrong Group Ending

Match the adjective ending to the group. When you’re unsure, default to listos for mixed groups. When the group is all women, use listas.

Table Of Real-World Phrases And When To Use Each

This table helps you pick a phrase fast, with the meaning you intend. If you want a quick definition check for the “ready” sense of listo, the RAE lists it as “prepared or disposed to do something.” RAE definition for “listo, ta” supports that usage.

Spanish Phrase	Best Use	Notes
No están listos.	General “they’re not ready”	Default for a mixed group or men.
No están listas.	General “they’re not ready”	All women group.
Todavía no están listos/as.	Not ready yet	Softens the timing; common in texts.
No están listos/as para + infinitive.	Not ready to do something	Pairs well with salir, empezar, hablar.
No están preparados/as.	Prep work is lacking	More literal than listo.
No están disponibles ahora.	Not available now	Good for scheduling and work chat.
No han terminado.	They haven’t finished	Direct when a task is still in progress.
La cena no está lista.	Food isn’t ready	Common at home or restaurants.
No está listo para + noun.	Not ready for something	Works for meetings, trips, tests.

Ready Phrases For Texts, Calls, And Work Messages

You don’t always get to say the whole sentence out loud. Often you’re typing fast, replying in a group chat, or answering a quick call. These short patterns keep your Spanish clear without adding extra words.

Short Replies That Stand On Their Own

• Todavía no. (Not yet.)
• Aún no. (Not yet.)
• No están listos/as. (They’re not ready.)
• No, todavía no están listos/as. (No, they’re not ready yet.)

Message Templates You Can Reuse

Swap the bracketed parts to match your situation.

• Todavía no están listos/as; salen a las [hora].
• No están listos/as para [acción]; faltan [detalle].
• El/La [archivo/tarea] no está listo/a; lo envío en [tiempo].
• Las [cosas] no están listas; necesito [paso].

When You Don’t Want To Name “They”

Spanish often drops the subject pronoun because the verb already shows it. In conversation, you may hear the same idea without ellos or ellas:

• No están listos.
• Todavía no están listas.

That’s normal and usually sounds more natural than repeating the pronoun every time.

Small Nuances That Change The Tone

The words are short, yet the feel can shift with one extra piece. These notes help you steer the tone without sounding dramatic.

“Ya” Can Add Pressure

Ya often points to “by now.” It’s fine with friends, yet it can sound like a nudge:

• ¿Ya están listos?
• ¿Están listos?

If you want the neutral version, skip ya.

“Todavía” Feels Patient

Todavía no often reads as “not yet,” which can feel calmer than a bare no. It’s a good default when you’re replying to someone who’s waiting.

Pronunciation And Writing Details That Save You

When you speak the phrase, the rhythm is steady: no es-TÁN LIS-tos. The stress lands on tán and on lis.

When you write it, two details keep it clean:

• Están takes an accent.
• Listo/lista changes ending to match the subject.

If you want a deeper grammar explanation of why Spanish separates ser and estar in many adjective phrases, the Centro Virtual Cervantes has a teacher-focused paper that reviews the contrast in detail. Centro Virtual Cervantes paper on uses of “ser” and “estar” is dense, yet it’s a solid reference when you want the grammar logic behind the everyday rule.

Polite Ways To Say It In Real Conversation

“Not ready” can sound neutral or impatient. A small add-on can keep it calm and clear.

Add A Short Reason

• Todavía no están listos; les falta un minuto.
• No están listos; están esperando el taxi.

Use A Simple Time Marker

• Aún no, en cinco minutos.
• Un momento, todavía no están listos/as.

Table Of Forms You’ll Use Most

Keep the verb as estar and match the adjective ending. These are the lines you’ll reach for most.

Subject	Affirmative	Negative
Él	Está listo	No está listo
Ella	Está lista	No está lista
Usted	Está listo/lista	No está listo/lista
Ellos	Están listos	No están listos
Ellas	Están listas	No están listas
Esto	Está listo	No está listo
Estas cosas	Están listas	No están listas

A Simple Checklist Before You Hit Send

1. Current state? Use estar.
2. Mixed group or men? Use listos.
3. All women group? Use listas.
4. Mean “not yet”? Add todavía no or aún no.
5. Mean “not ready to do something”? Add para + verb.

With these pieces, you can say “they’re not ready” without the common meaning slip that happens when ser replaces estar.