To Finish Something
To Settle Something
transitive verb, godan verb
Remember 済む and how it means "to be finished"? Well this is the version where you're going to finish something or to settle something yourself. You can remember this because you like to finish things en masse (ます). It's always best get lots of things done all at once.
済ます describes actively bringing something to completion, as in 仕事を済ます (finish your work) or 食事を済ます (finish a meal). Unlike 終わらせる, which simply means "to bring something to an end," 済ます focuses more on dealing with something like it's a task on your to do list — you're getting it out of the way so you can move on.
Because of this, it's also often used in the pattern 〜で済ます to mean you're handling something in a way that goes no further than necessary, like 簡単な食事で済ます (just eat something quick and simple) or 電話で済ます (just deal with something by phone).
The reading is the same as the one you learned with 済む, so if you know that you'll be able to finish this vocab.
一言で済ます
to settle with just a few words
メールで済ます
to handle by email
他人事で済ます
to brush off as someone else's problem
シャワーで済ます
to make do with a shower (rather than a bath)
短時間で済ます
to finish in a short time
手続きを済ます
to complete the necessary procedures
受け付けを済ます
to complete registration
食事を済ます
to finish a meal
用事を済ます
to take care of an errand
支払いを済ます
to complete payment
トイレを済ます
to get a bathroom trip out of the way
買い物はオンラインで済ますことが多いです。
I often get my shopping done online.
トイレは法律事務所で済ましてきました。
I went to the bathroom at the law office.
えっ、「ごめん」で済ますつもり？
Huh? You think you're going to get out of this with just a "sorry"?
出かける前に用事を済まさなきゃなんだよね。
I have to take care of an errand before going out.