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Prepositions after adjectives

Nasty to, nasty about, or nasty in?

Nasty is commonly followed by to for behaviour toward someone and about for a topic. Nasty in is usually part of a larger phrase about a situation or context, not a fixed adjective pattern.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with nasty?

Use nasty to someone when describing unkind behaviour toward a person. Use nasty about something when talking about comments or attitudes toward a topic. Nasty in is not a standard fixed pattern after nasty, but in can introduce a separate context or place phrase.

She was nasty to her brother.
The article became nasty about the budget cuts.
Things turned nasty in the final meeting.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
nasty to + person

Showing unkind behaviour toward someone

Use nasty to describe rude, cruel, or unpleasant behaviour directed at a person or group.

He was nasty to the new employee.
Why are you always nasty to your sister?
2
nasty about + topic

Speaking angrily or unpleasantly about something

Use nasty about when referring to comments, arguments, or attitudes concerning a subject.

They became nasty about the inheritance.
She gets nasty about politics online.
3
nasty in + situation

Describing a context where something becomes unpleasant

Here in introduces a separate situation or setting. It is not a fixed adjective-preposition combination selected by nasty.

The debate became nasty in the final minutes.
Conditions were nasty in the mountain village.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
nasty to
The coach was nasty to the players.
unkind behaviour directed at people
nasty about
He was nasty about the mistake.
angry or unpleasant concerning a topic
nasty in
The atmosphere turned nasty in the courtroom.
in introduces the setting or situation, not a fixed pattern after nasty
nasty with
She can be nasty with customers.
less common; describes behaviour in interactions with people

Common mistakes

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

Using nasty in as a fixed adjective pattern

In usually introduces a place, time, or situation rather than completing the adjective nasty.

✕ She is nasty in her brother. ✓ She is nasty to her brother.

Using to for topics

Use about when referring to a subject or issue.

✕ He was nasty to the decision. ✓ He was nasty about the decision.

Missing the person after nasty to

Nasty to normally refers to behaviour toward someone.

✓ They were nasty to the waiter.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was very nasty ___ the interns.
2. The discussion became nasty ___ money.
3. Things turned nasty ___ the final round of talks.

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Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

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Frequently asked questions

Is nasty to someone correct?

Yes. Nasty to someone is the standard way to describe unkind behaviour toward a person.

Can I say nasty about something?

Yes. Use nasty about for unpleasant comments or attitudes concerning a topic.

Is nasty in correct English?

It can be correct when in introduces a separate place or situation phrase, such as nasty in the workplace. It is not usually a fixed adjective-preposition pattern.

naive-in-about-to-of, for naked in, on, with, for or at? "narrow down" or "narrow in"? "national of" or "national in"? "native of" or "native to"? "natural for" or "natural to"? necessary for, in, to, at or by? needy in, of, for, from or by? "negative about", "negative in" or "negative for"? negligent in, of, for, to or about? nervous about, of, at, in or before? "neutral in", "neutral to" or "neutral on"?

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