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.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll often hear 'done' used instead of 'already' from anybody that growed up around here. 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.
You need to feed the chickens.
Earl:
I done fed ’em.
I done fed ’em.- Auxiliary meaning "completely / emphatically" (dialect verb form)
Mae:
You’d better cut that grass.
You’d better cut that grass.
Earl:
I done cut it this mornin’.
I done cut it this mornin’.variations: 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 and Etymology
Comes from older Scots-Irish speech patterns where "done" marked a completed action. Recorded in Appalachian and Southern dialect studies since the late 1800s. Survives widely today in informal speech.
Usage Notes
Common across the South and Appalachia. Recognized by outsiders but often marked as "folksy" or "down-home."
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "done" - rhymes with "sun."