done

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "done" is often used as an auxiliary verb meaning "already" or "completely," not just as the past tense of "do." It adds emphasis or signals something happened before or is thoroughly finished.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

You'll often hear 'done' used instead of 'already' from anybody that growed up around here.

Pronunciation

[DUHN]

Meaning & Usage

- Auxiliary meaning "already" (dialect verb form)

Mae:

You need to feed the chickens.

Earl:

I done fed ’em.

- Auxiliary meaning "completely / emphatically" (dialect verb form)

Mae:

You’d better cut that grass.

Earl:

I done cut it this mornin’.

other spellings: already (standard meaning)

★ Using "done" this way is a hallmark of Southern/Appalachian grammar. It’s not "wrong" - it’s a living feature of regional English that adds emphasis and timing. "Done" can stack with other past tense verbs: "I done told," "He done went," "She done seen it." ★

Origin

Comes from older Scots-Irish and African American English patterns where "done" marked a completed action. Recorded in Appalachian and Southern dialect studies since the late 1800s. Survives widely today in informal speech.

Notes

Common across the South and Appalachia and also in African American Vernacular English. Recognized by outsiders but often marked as "folksy" or "down-home."

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "done" - rhymes with "sun."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "done" just the past tense of "do"?

In standard English yes, but in Southern/Appalachian speech it also works as an auxiliary meaning "already" or "completely."

Where do you hear it?

Throughout the South, Appalachia, and in African American English.

Does it always mean "already"?

Usually, but it can also intensify: "He done tore it up" = "He completely tore it up."