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Prepositions after adjectives

Personal to vs. personal with

Personal to is the standard expression for something relating specifically to a person. Personal with is uncommon as a direct adjective-preposition combination.

Quick answer

Which form is correct?

Use personal to when something belongs especially to one person or concerns them specifically. Personal with is usually unnatural unless with introduces a separate relationship in the sentence.

The decision is deeply personal to her.
These preferences are personal to each employee.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
personal to + person

Showing something specific to someone

Use personal to for matters, opinions, tastes, or information connected with a particular person.

The message was personal to the manager.
Style choices are often personal to the individual.
2
personal with + separate relationship

When with is not the complement

With can appear nearby in the sentence, but it usually does not directly follow personal as its complement.

She is very personal with close friends.
He became personal with the interviewer.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
personal to
That information is personal to the client.
Standard for something specific or private to a person.
personal with
She became personal with the audience.
Possible only in a different sense meaning informal or intimate, not equivalent to personal to.
personal for
This choice is personal for many voters.
Possible in wider sentence structure, but not the same meaning as personal to.
personal about
He is personal about his finances.
Nonstandard; private about is more natural.

Common mistakes

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

Using with instead of to

Use personal to when referring to something specific to a person.

✕ The comment was personal with me. ✓ The comment was personal to me.

Confusing personal and private

Personal does not always mean secret.

✕ He is personal about his salary. ✓ He is private about his salary.

Using personal with for ownership

With does not normally express personal connection in this structure.

✕ These details are personal with the applicant. ✓ These details are personal to the applicant.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This matter is highly personal ___ her.
2. Which sentence sounds natural?
3. He is very personal ___ close friends.

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Frequently asked questions

Is personal with ever correct?

Yes, but usually with a different meaning such as becoming informal or intimate with someone.

What does personal to mean?

It means specific, private, or closely connected to a particular person.

Can personal be used without a preposition?

Yes. For example: That is a personal decision.

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