other N2 uncommon casualpolitewritten
済ませる — to finish/settle (something)
済ませる ・ すませる
Builds on 済む
Meaning
- to finish / get (something) done / make do with — the transitive counterpart of 済む; also 'settle for' something lesser
Key sentence
昼食はおにぎりで済ませた。
I made do with a rice ball for lunch.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + を／で | N を済ませる ／ N で済ませる |
Examples
手続きを午前中に済ませた。
I got the paperwork done in the morning.
電話で済ませないで、直接会って話しなさい。
Don't just settle it by phone — go and talk in person.
Easily confused with
Notes
- 済ます is a variant. で済ませる = 'make do with ~'.
See 済ませる in real sentences
Jengo shows 済ませる the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.