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Prepositions after adjectives

foreign: which preposition to use

Foreign is most commonly followed by to when something is unfamiliar or unrelated. Other prepositions usually express place, role, or topic rather than forming a fixed combination.

Quick answer

The usual pattern with foreign

Use foreign to for something unfamiliar or unrelated to a person, idea, or system. Foreign in often refers to location, while as, for, and about usually belong to other sentence structures.

The concept was completely foreign to me.
Such behaviour is foreign to the company's culture.
She works for a company foreign in origin.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
foreign to + person

What is unfamiliar to someone?

Use foreign to when a person does not know or understand something.

The legal terms were foreign to the new employee.
That style of music is foreign to me.
2
foreign to + system or culture

What does not belong naturally?

Use foreign to for ideas or behaviour that do not fit a group, culture, or system.

Violence is foreign to their philosophy.
Corruption was once considered foreign to the organisation.
3
foreign in + place

Where is something foreign?

In can introduce a place or field, not a fixed complement selected by foreign.

The company is still seen as foreign in the local market.
She felt foreign in an unfamiliar city.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
foreign to
The custom is foreign to our traditions.
Standard pattern meaning unfamiliar or unrelated.
foreign in
The brand is foreign in that region.
In introduces location or context rather than a fixed adjective pattern.
foreign as
He was treated as a foreign visitor.
As introduces a role or description, not a complement after foreign.
foreign for
The process seemed foreign for new staff members.
This is uncommon and usually better expressed with foreign to.
foreign about
There was nothing foreign about her accent.
About belongs to the wider clause; foreign about is not a regular pattern.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using for instead of to

Use foreign to for unfamiliarity or difference.

✕ The idea is foreign for me. ✓ The idea is foreign to me.

Treating as as the adjective complement

As usually introduces a role or classification.

✕ The habit is foreign as our culture. ✓ The habit is foreign to our culture.

Using about after foreign

About does not normally follow foreign directly as its complement.

✕ That attitude is foreign about him. ✓ That attitude is foreign to him.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The concept was completely foreign ___ the students.
2. The company still seems foreign ___ the local market.
3. Their values are not foreign ___ our traditions.

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Frequently asked questions

What does foreign to mean?

It means unfamiliar, unrelated, or not natural to someone or something.

Can foreign be followed by in?

Yes, but in usually introduces a place or context rather than forming a fixed adjective pattern.

Is foreign for correct?

It is uncommon in modern English for this meaning. Foreign to is usually the natural choice.

face-to-face-with-in-at-for, to "fair to" or "fair in"? faithful to, in, of, with or for? falling of, in, out, into or off? "false in" or "false to"? famed for, as, in or throughout? familiar with, to, from or in? famous for, in, of, by or as? fanatical about, in, as, for or of? "fantastic for" or "fantastic in"? far from, in, to, for or with? fascinating to, about, in, for or as?

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