The difference between done and finished is not apparent to many people. These two words are used interchangeably by a good portion of the English-speaking population, often following the word I’m, and serving to indicate that the speaker has completed some task, episode, or other thing. There is a very good chance that some of you reading this may have made it through life so far without ever having heard that one of these words might be problematic. And then there are the rest of us, who have at some point finished dinner, stretched luxuriantly, and declined a second helping by saying “I’m done,” only to be curtly informed “People are finished; a cake/meat/the roast/dinner is done.”
Though some individuals object to the use of ‘done’ to mean ‘finished’, few usage guides agree with them.
Old Rules for «Done» and «Finished»
We are not entirely certain where the prohibition against using done to mean finished came from. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage notes that done has been used as an adjective, in the sense of “finished,” since at least the 14th century. There is a more recent usage (this is a be done sense, rather than the older have done sense), which seems to be the one that people don’t much care for, and this one dates to the second half of the 19th century.
The earliest warnings we’ve seen against using done for finished come in H. N. MacCracken and Helen Sandison’s Manual of Good English from 1917. Most usage manuals of the 20th and 21st century do not make note of this matter. Theodore Bernstein, the author of a number of guides to language in the middle of the 20th century, did include an entry warning readers to distinguish between them, although he later changed his mind about this. Bernstein may have also been the person responsible for the culinary aspect of the “people are finished; food is done” dicta.
The word [done] should not be used in good writing to mean finished or completed. It is proper to say “the roast is done,” but this does not mean it is finished; it means the roast is sufficiently cooked.
—Theodore Bernstein, The Careful Writer, 1965
The “food is done” line has been a very successful one, and still appears occasionally today.
When you have finished eating, please don’t say that you are done. People are “finished.” Cakes are “done.”
—Lydia Ramsey, Dottie Walters, Manners that Sell: Adding the Polish that Builds Profits, 2008
It should be noted that there are very few, if any, contemporary guides to English usage which take the position that people cannot be done; this prohibition, when found in print, tends to come from guides to manners, or in writing guides published online by an individual.
One of the problematic aspects of English usage is that we have accumulated so many rules, strictures, and prohibitions over the centuries that there is really no way that anyone could possibly speak more than a sentence or two without saying something that offends the ear of someone. For instance, have you ever used the word dilapidated? If so, did you use it to refer to something that was made of stone? Because if you didn’t, you were using the word, according to some usage guides of yore, in error, as dilapidated comes in part from the Latin word lapis, meaning “stone,” and so should not be used to refer to a wooden house.
The «rule» against using done in reference to a person is not so archaic and outmoded as the admonition that one should only use dilapidated to refer to things made of stone, but it still is not based on any logical grammatical rule. You needn’t worry about using done, but if you find that using it now makes you uncomfortable, yet don’t care for the sound of finished, some usage guides recommend using through instead.
• Categorized under Words | Difference between ‘Done’ and ‘Finished’
‘Done’ vs ‘Finished’
There is a common English saying that goes, “Cakes are done, but people are finished.” This is to remind English speakers of the proper and accepted usage of the two words, ‘done’ and ‘finished’. This is confusing to English speakers because ‘done’ means something that has been brought to a conclusion or an end, as in: It is done when the timer goes off. The word ‘finished’ means completed or concluded, as in: He finished the race first. They are listed as synonyms for each other in any dictionary or thesaurus as well. They should be able to be used interchangeably and in actuality, often are in everyday English conversation and writing.
The distinction in the usage of the words requires going back in the history of the evolution of the English language. Back sometime before the 1700s, the word ‘done’ had a slightly different meaning. ‘To have done’ was the usual way to use the word ‘done’, but ‘done’ was starting to be used colloquially or informally by certain groups of English speakers to mean ‘to be done’, which the exact same as ‘finished’. ‘Finished’ was a more formal or higher sounding word, so it came to be viewed as improper to use the word ‘done’ to mean that you had finished a task by some language experts. This tradition of using the word ‘finished’ instead of ‘done’ to be more correct has been slowly fading in modern times, but it is still held on to by many English speakers.
There is also the context to keep in mind when deciding which word is best to use. ‘Finished’ is generally used as an absolute word, meaning something is totally completed and completed well. It can be seen in the example: The man is finished with all of his work, because he has done each of his projects. The entirety of the work is called ‘finished’, but the smaller parts, or projects, are called ‘done’. This usage of the ‘finished’ implies that he did a good job on his work too. ‘Finished’ gives the connotation or sense that something is of good quality or craftsmanship because that is one of its definitions, such as: The workmanship of the craftsman was highly finished.
‘Done’ can have a less absolute meaning, as if to say: “I am done for now.” or “I am done with this part, but I am not finished with the whole thing.” ‘Done’ also has the meaning of something be over, as in quitting something. So if a person says, “I am done with playing music.” he likely means that he is not intending to ever play it again, because he has given up on it. ‘Done’ gives the feeling that something is not completed well, or to satisfaction, which would be a reason to give up or quit something. If a person feels they have not successfully completed a task, they will generally say, “I am done” rather than “I am finished.”
Although there is not much grammatical difference between the words ‘done’ and ‘finished’, it is good to be aware of the traditional usage of the words. It can be noted that the words are often used interchangeably for each other, but it is most accepted to refer to objects and non-personal things as ‘done’, but people, or things people accomplish, as ‘finished.’ Keep in mind as well, that ‘finished’ has a more positive and well-accomplished meaning, and ‘done’ a slightly more negative and poorly-accomplished meaning when applied to a task.
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APA 7
Hutchinson, A. (2016, June 8). Difference between ‘Done’ and ‘Finished’. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-done-and-finished/.
MLA 8
Hutchinson, Aaron. «Difference between ‘Done’ and ‘Finished’.» Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 8 June, 2016, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/words-language/difference-between-done-and-finished/.
Written by : Aaron Hutchinson.
and updated on 2016, June 8
Articles on DifferenceBetween.net are general information, and are not intended to substitute for professional advice. The information is «AS IS», «WITH ALL FAULTS». User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages.
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#1
Hello all,
This is my first time asking an English-only question, and I am very grateful that such a forum exists!
My friend and I are arguing about the use of the word «done» within the context of this sentence: «I bet you’re glad to be done with all your exams.»
He told me «turkeys are done and people are finished.» While I agree that the word «finished» is a more formal substitute for the word «done» in this context, I do not believe the word «done» is incorrect in any way.
I would truly appreciate any insights you all may have. Thanks in advance!
Steph
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#2
Hello all,
This is my first time asking an English-only question, and I am very grateful that such a forum exists!
My friend and I are arguing about the use of the word «done» within the context of this sentence: «I bet you’re glad to be done with all your exams.»
He told me «turkeys are done and people are finished.» While I agree that the word «finished» is a more formal substitute for the word «done» in this context, I do not believe the word «done» is incorrect in any way.
I would truly appreciate any insights you all may have. Thanks in advance!
Steph
>>I do not believe the word «done» is incorrect in any way.
Nor do I.
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#3
Your friend is, in my opinion, 147% wrong. It’s a matter of choice. To me it seems like people who make up sayings like «turkeys are done and people are finished» haven’t got a very good grasp on the English language.
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#4
Your friend is, in my opinion, 147% wrong. It’s a matter of choice. To me it seems like people who make up sayings like «turkeys are done and people are finished» haven’t got a very good grasp on the English language.
I agree with Hockey. The word «done» is perfectly correct.
«I’m done with school in two weeks.»
Starbuck
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#5
This use of «done» may be a bit informal; however, it is common, colloquial, and correct.
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#6
Dragging this thread back from the dead…
A student of mine in Spain asked me about this phrase, written by her Californian boss.
«When he is done (with the report), I’ll take what I need».
She didn’t understand the first part.
I recognise it as AmE, meaning «when he has finished«, which is what I think BrE speakers would be more likely to say.
My question is: is this use of done standard in any way, or only colloquial as previously mentioned.
What is more likely to be said in AmE? Do you use both constructions?
Thanks.
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#7
I don’t think it’s colloquial or even informal in AE. It’s not marked in any way at Merriam. In fact, the «arrived at an end» definition is first, and the turkey one is fifth. I don’t really know which one is more common; both are used often.
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#8
Almighty Egg, I can comment on your question because I was raised in a British household (speaking British English) but then entered school in America. I have seen the language debates from both sides.
Technically, the person who said «turkeys are done and people are finished» is correct, but American English has changed and is far less formal than British English, so saying «I am done» in America is more common. I, personally, would never use it in an essay or a formal piece of writing, but would have no problem saying it in a conversation or using it in a text message.
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#9
I could just as easily say «People are done, furniture is finished,» and it would carry just as much weight as the turkey saying.
Edit: This post reads harsher than I meant it. I just mean that little phrases like that are not generally the best way to approach grammar.
Last edited: Dec 16, 2011
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#10
OK. Thanks both.
I told her it was common AmE, I just wasn’t aware if it was slang or standard.
I guess slang becomes standard over time…
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#11
A young lady came home from Switzerland and told her parents «I’m done with being finished by that school!»
And I thought this was going to turn into a fight about whether it should be «I have finished» and not «I am finished»
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#12
The use of «done» as an adjective in this sense is well established in AuE.
According to Merriam-Webster’s English Usage Dictionary, it dates back to the time of Dickens:
A terrible sound arose when the reading of this document was done. (A Tale of Two Cities, 1859)
They hint that it’s been a victim of linguistic snobbery:
The earliest objection to «be done» in our files is from MacCracken & Sandison 1917. They do not say what is wrong with it but prescribe «have finished» in its place. (The fact that the OED and Curme 1931 note it as chiefly Irish, Scots, and U.S. may show how the objection originated.)
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#13
I’d like to revive this thread and ask a question of my own.
This thread tells me that «I’m done» or «I’m finished» is commonly used at least in AmE in the sense that «I have finished». (What happened to «I have done», by the way?)
So, in a context where this particular construction «I’m done/finished» can be used to mean «I have finished», if anything sounds illogical to me, it’s the fact that the subject «I» is in a state of having completed the action of doing/finishing — instead of being in a state of having received the action, as in «I’m surprised», «I’m excited», or «I’m confused.» I mean, imagine you’re able to replace «have» in a perfect tense of any verb with «be» and still get the same meaning.
I’m dumbfounded, therefore, that some people would criticize this use of «done» by saying «turkeys are done and people are finished». Here, the subject «turkey» is in a state of having received the action of doing (i.e., cooking), whereas the subject «people» is in a state of having completed the action of finishing. So, in this supposedly «grammatical» saying, the «people are finished» part still has the same illogical aspect to it as does «I’m done». But somehow this is fine with the verb «finish».
Also, Pertinax’s example of «done» (A terrible sound arose when the reading of this document was done.) indicates that the subject «the reading of this document» was in a state of having received the action of doing, which clearly is not the same use of «done» as that in «I’m done». (But somehow Pertinax said this was the same use.)
So somehow native speakers do not seem to care at all about whether «done» or «finished» represents a state of the subject having completed the action of doing or finishing or of the subject having received the action of doing or finishing. Is this observation correct? If so, why?
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#14
So somehow native speakers do not seem to care at all about whether «done» or «finished» represents a state of the subject having completed the action of doing or finishing or of the subject having received the action of doing or finishing.
Since we learn the language idiomatically from our parents, we certainly don’t go through the mental gymnastics suggested above.
(I’m still trying to decipher it. )
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#15
(I’m still trying to decipher it.
)
Well, please let me know if you think my observation is on the right tract when you’re done deciphering it.
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#16
A recent 007 movie, SPECTRE, is describe in a magazine like this:
Bond faces pushback as M (now played by Ralph Fiennes, taking over for Judi Dench) tells him he had no authority to take care of business in the city and questions his actions on the trip.
«So what’s going on, James? They say you’re finished,» questions Eve Moneypenny, played by returning actress Naomie Harris. When asked by Bond what she thinks, she responds, «I think you’re just getting started.»
When the girl says «They say you’re finished», does she mean «They say you have finished» or «They say your career as 007 is finished»?
I thought it was the latter. But then why does she say ‘you’re just getting started’? Is this some sort of play on words?
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#17
«They say your career as 007 is finished»?
Not really a play on words. She is saying she doesn’t agree with «They» and is implying that he is going to do better than previously. He’s just getting started on a new peak in his career.
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#18
Hello, I have heard many times «I’m done/finished» but I don’t think I have heard the interrogative-negative forms «aren’t you done/finished» very often? Are those forms are common?
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#19
Hello, I have heard many times «I’m done/finished» but I don’t think I have heard the interrogative-negative forms «aren’t you done/finished» very often? Are those forms are
common
?
The
situations
in which such a question might be asked are probably less common than for the interrogative affirmative.
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#20
The
situations
in which such a question might be asked are probably less common than for the interrogative affirmative.
Ok thank you, that makes sense. For learners, it can be hard to tell rare but still idiomatic sentences from non idiomatic ones. I suppose the example below (totally made up) may be ok with you:
A: what are you doing
B: I’m taking a bath
A: You got in there about an hour ago! aren’t you finished yet?
Is it right?
Last edited: May 22, 2022
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#21
I’d say «haven’t you finished yet».
done | finished |
As adjectives the difference between done and finished
is that done is ready, fully cooked while finished is processed or perfected.
As verbs the difference between done and finished
is that done is past participle of lang=en while finished is past tense of finish.
doneEnglishAdjective(en adjective)
Derived terms* be done for Verb(head)
Statistics* |
finishedEnglishAdjective(en adjective) Derived terms* finished product Verb(head)
|
What is another word for Done?
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cooked, thoroughly cooked
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