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Prepositions after verbs

Complain about, complain of, and complain to

Use complain about for problems, complain to for the listener, and complain of mainly in formal or medical contexts.

Quick answer

Main differences

Complain about is the most common pattern for describing a problem. Complain to introduces the person or organisation receiving the complaint. Complain of is more formal and often refers to symptoms or ongoing problems.

Customers complained about the delays.
She complained to the manager.
The patient complained of severe headaches.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
complain about + problem

Talking about something negative

Use about for the issue or situation causing dissatisfaction.

Residents complained about the noise.
He often complains about traffic.
2
complain to + person/organisation

Saying who received the complaint

Use to for the listener or authority.

They complained to customer support.
I complained to the landlord.
3
complain of + symptom/problem

Formal or medical use

Use of mainly in formal English, especially for illnesses or continuing conditions.

The child complained of stomach pain.
Workers complained of exhaustion.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
complain about
Guests complained about the service.
mention the problem
complain to
She complained to the hotel manager.
mention the person receiving the complaint
complain of
The patient complained of dizziness.
formal expression for symptoms or persistent problems
complain about to
He complained about the noise to the police.
combine both the problem and the listener

Common mistakes

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

Using to for the problem itself

Use about or of for the thing causing dissatisfaction.

✕ She complained to the noise. ✓ She complained about the noise.

Using about in formal medical contexts

About is possible in general English, but of is more formal and common for symptoms.

✕ The patient complained about chest pain in the report. ✓ The patient complained of chest pain in the report.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They complained ___ the long waiting time.
2. She complained ___ the store manager.
3. The athlete complained ___ knee pain.

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Frequently asked questions

Is complain of old-fashioned?

It is still used, especially in formal, literary, and medical English.

Can I use complain about and complain to together?

Yes. For example: They complained about the service to the manager.

Which is more common: complain about or complain of?

Complain about is more common in everyday English.

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