"what would you have done" vs "what have you done"

Question

"what would you have done" vs "what have you done"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'What have you done?' is used to ask about actions that have already been completed, while 'What would you have done?' is used to ask about hypothetical actions in the past. They cannot be directly compared as they serve different purposes.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

This phrase is used to explore hypothetical scenarios in the past. It implies questioning someone about what they might have done differently in a given situation.

Examples:

What would you have done if you were in my place?
What would you have done if you had known the truth?
What would you have done if you had more time?

Alternatives:

What could you have done?
What might you have done?
What should you have done?
What would you do?
What could you do?

This phrase is used to inquire about actions or tasks that the person has already completed. It expresses curiosity or concern about those actions.

Examples:

What have you done to fix the issue?
What have you done with my keys?
What have you done to help the situation?

Alternatives:

What did you do?
What's the matter?
What's going on?
What happened?
What's up?

Answer 1

what would you have done

This phrase is correct and is used to ask about hypothetical actions in the past, indicating a different choice or course of action.

Answer 2

what have you done

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to ask about actions that have already been completed.

"what would you have done" vs "what have you done"

what would you have done

what have you done

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