Fine for or with me

Question

1. Is it fine for you to take out the trash tonight?2. Is it fine with you to take out the trash tonight?3.  Is it fine for you?4. Is this fine with you?Are these all correct? Can I use for/with?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

fold scarf 1011. Is it fine for you to take out the trash tonight?

This is possible but awkward and unlikely. "Fine for" doesn't really work that way, but it would be understood to mean sentence 2.

fold scarf 1012. Is it fine with you to take out the trash tonight?

This is possible but clumsy. It asks whether you object to your having to take the trash out.

fold scarf 1013. Is it fine for you?

This provides so little context it falls into the category of five words in a row, which always stand a decent chance of being a possible sentence. It seems unlikely on its face.

fold scarf 1014. Is this fine with you?

This is a common way of asking whether you have any objection to whatever "this" is.

CalifJim · Answer

As I learned it and use it, "fine" is not used in questions or negations. Consequently, I wouldn't use any of those questions. I think this may have started to change about 20 years ago, when I started hearing waiters ask "Is everything fine?" but I don't think it's been fully accepted yet.

In researching this to find like-minded people, I came across the following remark on WordR

In researching this to find like-minded people, I came across the following remark on WordReference.com:

Do not use "fine" in questions or negations. Use "fine" only in assertions ("How are you?" -- "I'm fine").

And this:

This is how native English speakers use it:
— Is it OK?
— Yes, it’s fine.
— Is it fine?

"all right", "OK", "correct", and "acceptable" were offered as possible substitutes for "fine" in questions and negations.

CJ

Fine for or with me

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