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Prepositions after verbs

Bother with or bother about?

Bother with usually means giving time or effort to something. Bother about usually means feeling worried or concerned about something.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with bother?

Use bother with for effort, tasks, or involvement. Use bother about for worries and concerns. Both are standard but express different meanings.

I won't bother with the paperwork today.
She never bothered about small mistakes.
Why bother with a taxi when we can walk?

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
bother with + thing/task

Talking about effort or involvement

Use bother with when deciding whether something is worth the time or trouble.

Don't bother with formal clothes.
2
bother about + problem

Talking about worry or concern

Use bother about when discussing anxiety or concern over something.

He bothered about the delay all evening.
3
can't be bothered with + noun

Refusing to spend energy on something

This fixed expression means someone does not want to make the effort.

I can't be bothered with online arguments.
4
bother someone with + request/problem

Interrupting or troubling someone

Use bother someone with when bringing a problem or request to another person.

Sorry to bother you with another question.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
bother with
She didn't bother with introductions.
spend effort or attention on something
bother about
He worries too much about what others think.
feel concerned about something
bother over
They bothered over every detail.
similar to bother about; often more focused on excessive concern
bother to + verb
Nobody bothered to reply.
make the effort to do something

Common mistakes

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

Using bother with for emotional concern

Use bother about for worries or anxiety.

✕ She bothered with the exam result all week. ✓ She bothered about the exam result all week.

Missing the object after bother with

Bother with normally needs a noun or pronoun.

✕ I won't bother with. ✓ I won't bother with the forms.

Confusing bother to with bother with

Bother to is followed by a verb, not a noun.

✕ He didn't bother to the details. ✓ He didn't bother with the details.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We shouldn't ___ minor delays.
2. She refused to ___ expensive packaging.
3. Nobody ___ call me yesterday.

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Frequently asked questions

Is bother with negative?

It often appears in negative or questioning contexts, but it can also be neutral.

Can bother about mean the same as worry about?

Yes. Bother about commonly expresses concern or anxiety.

Do American and British English use these differently?

Both forms are understood in both varieties, though bother about is especially common in British English.

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