Jordi Jorge
Something is a problem for/to me I'm having a hard time understanding the difference in meaning of the following expressions: 1. Something is a problem for me. 2. Something is a problem to me. What does each preposition express or conveys? I wonder if sentence 1 is correct and sentence 2 is incorrect. I remember hearing someone say "if this is a problem to you, if you don't like it, you mind." Because of sentences like this, is that I'm confused. Also I wonder if one form is British English and the other one is American English.
5 févr. 2020 21:43
Réponses · 4
1
Hi. They both have similar meanings. It just depends on the situation. “Something is a problem to me” meaning it’s something you have an issue with, something you do not approve of. “Something is a problem for me” Meaning is something you struggle with, like riding a bike or speaking around large crowds. You can say “Speaking in large crowds is a problem for me”. They both have similar meanings, with slight differences. Hope I can help 🙂.
5 février 2020
I believe that it is just a matter of preference. I have heard it used in either form frequently. In my part of England it is likely that 'a problem for me' would the most common.
5 février 2020
Hi Jordi, I'm a native British English speaker. Both sound fine to me, but the nuance is different. "Something is a problem for me" sounds a bit more emotional and less literal, as it is more indirect. For example, "it is a problem for me that you always arrive late" (i.e. it makes me feel bad), whereas "to me" sounds like the thing itself is directly, and perhaps physically affecting the subject, e.g. "The lack of recycling facilities in this city are a big problem to me". It sounds a bit like one is saying "in my opinion" in this case. Hope this helps!
5 février 2020
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