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Prepositions after adjectives

How to use “proud” with prepositions

Proud of is the standard pattern. Other prepositions appear in specific meanings or fixed expressions.

Quick answer

Standard pattern

Use proud of for achievements, people, or qualities. Proud to is used before an infinitive verb.

We are proud of our team.
She is proud to represent the company.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
proud of + noun

Feeling satisfaction

Of is the normal preposition after proud.

He is proud of his progress.
2
proud to + verb

Introducing an action

To commonly introduces an infinitive.

I am proud to announce the results.
3
proud about + topic

Emphasising a subject

About is possible but less common than of.

She feels proud about the project outcome.
4
proud of oneself for + action

Giving a reason

For explains why someone feels proud.

He was proud of himself for finishing the marathon.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
proud of
They are proud of their daughter.
standard and most common pattern
proud about
He is proud about the redesign.
possible but less natural than proud of
proud for
I am proud for you.
nonstandard in most contexts; proud of you is preferred
proud in
She takes pride in her work.
in is common with pride, not usually with proud

Common mistakes

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

Using proud for someone

English normally uses proud of someone.

✕ We are proud for you. ✓ We are proud of you.

Using in directly after proud

Use in with the noun pride, not usually with proud.

✕ She is proud in her work. ✓ She is proud of her work.

Forgetting to before a verb

Use proud to plus base verb.

✕ I am proud announce this. ✓ I am proud to announce this.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They are proud ___ their achievement.
2. She was proud ___ help the community.
3. Which sentence is most natural?

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Frequently asked questions

Is proud about wrong?

No, but proud of is usually more natural.

Can proud be followed by a verb?

Yes. Use proud to plus the base form of the verb.

Why do people say take pride in?

The noun pride commonly takes in, while the adjective proud usually takes of.

packed-with-to-in-on, into "paid for" or "paid up"? painful for, to, in, at or of? "palatable to" or "palatable for"? "pale in" or "pale of"? "pandemic of" or "pandemic in"? "paramount to" or "paramount in"? paranoid about, of, in, with or over? partial to, of, in, towards or for? participating in, of, on, at or for? "particular about" or "particular to"? part-time at, in, for, as or with?

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