To vs. For in English — What’s the Difference?
This lesson was originally published in May 2017. In April 2021 it was updated with new video content and a quiz.
My new English course is really important TO me or FOR me – which one is correct?
The prepositions to and for regularly cause stress and frustration for my students. Do you feel the same?
If so, this lesson will help.
Today’s lesson is focused on three situations when both TO or FOR can be used in a sentence. For example:
- To vs. for to indicate the reason or intention for something
- To vs. for to indicate the recipient of something
- To vs. for when to indicate the importance of something
In this lesson, you’ll learn HOW and WHEN to correctly use the prepositions to and for in English. Plus, at the end, I have a short quiz for you.
How and When to Use the Prepositions To vs. For in English
SUMMARY
Situation 1: To vs. For to Indicate Reasons or Intentions
Review these examples sentences and note the structural patterns of the sentences:
- I went to Spain FOR a wedding.
- I went to Spain TO see my best friend.
- I stopped by the grocery store FOR some coffee.
- I stopped by the grocery store TO buy some coffee.
As you can see in these sentences, we use the following structures:
to + base verb + noun
for + noun
Situation 2: To vs. For to Indicate Recipient
In both sentences below, to and for indicate who the recipient is:
- Yesterday I bought a birthday card FOR my sister.
- Yesterday I bought a birthday card to send TO my sister.
When a verb — like send — indicates a transfer, exchange, or movement from Point A to Point B, we use the preposition ‘to.’
Here are some common examples:
- To GIVE something TO someone
- To SELL something TO someone
- To SEND something TO someone
- To MAIL something TO someone
Situation 3: Important TO me vs. FOR me
When highlighting the importance of something, both to or for could be used. But there’s a slight difference in meaning or focus:
- Important to me = indicates personal or sentimental value; something precious to you
- Important for me = indicates or focuses on the benefit of something.
Here are two examples:
- My grandmother gave me this vase. Although it’s not expensive, it’s very important to me.
- The interview I have next week is important for me; it could open some new career opportunities.
Quiz: Prepositions To vs. For in English
Get answers to the quiz below.
1. After a lot of practice and preparation, she feels ready_____ give her presentation.
2. After a lot of practice and preparation, she feels ready_____ her presentation.
3. I can’t forget to order flowers _____ my friend’s birthday.
4. One of my students told me that the opportunity to get practice and feedback on job interview questions was important ____ her confidence.
5. When you’re finished with that draft, will you send it ____ me by email?
How did you do with the quiz?
Here are the answers:
1. to
2. for
3. for
4. for
5. to
When you complete this lesson, I’d love to hear what was most helpful to you. You can share your comments, questions, and more in the comments section below. Have a fantastic Wednesday!
Annemarie
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Awesome Mam.
Great job I have been learning a lot from you
You’re awesome at what you do! Prepositions are tricky and confusing but you clarified these two pretty well! Thank you:)
😍Thank you so much, Nisey!
It is an great lesson. I love the way you teach. I just have to practicing using these two preposition to don’t forget how to use them propertly.
🥰 Thank you. I’m so glad to know this was helpful.
Annmarie you are on the focus to give the best way to understand the difference between to vs. for…I hope that I’m doing well in the previous sentence… thanks
Thanks for the kind comment, Mercedes!!
Excellent lesson, very clear with the least efforts cleared the confusion sometimes these two words create for me. Many thanks and keep up the excellent work, you are the best and good luck.
Thanks for the comment, Lee. I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson.
Of course, I have had difficulties understanding the use of TO vs FOR. This was my first lesson, and my teacher was who told me about it. She is adorable! And this information was so important for me!
Thanks for watching, Alicia. I’m glad it was helpful.
Excellent and very useful. Thanks a bunch!
You’re so welcome.
Hi Annemarie!
Thank you for the lesson! It was great 😊
I got all the right answers.
I have always loved english grammar, dispate it can be tricky sometime.
This regard, I would like to listen to a lesson about verbs with double object.
Could it be possible?
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Vania
Hi Vania,
I’m so pleased this was helpful! And you’re right, English grammar can definitely be tricky.
Can you give me an example of a verb with double objects? I’d love to add this to my list of future lessons!
Hello Annemarie
I love your lesson because it’s of great importance mainly when addressing these prepositions. It becomes very confusing to decide where we can appropriately use the preposition ‘to’ and ‘for’, but with the help of your lesson now we do understand the difference and where we can use ‘to’ and ‘for’ correctly.
Hi Moses and thank you for your comment. You’re totally right – using prepositions is challenging and, most of the time, confusing. We’re happy to know you found the lesson helpful, and now, you have a clear understanding of how to use “to” and “for”.
This lesson was very helpful for me! Thank you Annemarie!
We’re so glad to hear the lesson was helpful to you, Nataliya! Thank you for your comment.
Hi Anne Marie! As usually, also this lesson it is clear and I find your way of teaching very important to me.
Every time, I learn english whithout stress and improve my knowledege.
This exercise it’s very simple but necessary for train my brain and clear mistake.
I want send to you my gratitude for your precious job.
I love hear and watch your video so much <3
Thank you for everything
Best regard
Cinzia
Thank you so much, Cinzia, for your lovely comment! We’re happy to know that you enjoy the lessons and find some food for your brain. We wish you much success in your learning.
Hello Annemarie, I would like to thank you so much from bottom of my heart for this highly educated lesson. I want to say more than that. You are such a kind and warm person. As for me, I love watching your incredible videos. Nowadays we have much more flexibility and ability . We can find out and research a ton of information and use it in our life. But your information is the best !!! l am addicted to mail and send massages to my friends and my large lovely family because they are more important to me than… Read more »
What a lovely message, Ludje. Thank you so much. I am truly happy to know my lessons are helpful to you and bring you joy. 🥰
Your lessons are always very helpful for my fluent English. 🙂 thank you so much.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Where is the link to get the right answers? I can’t find it:(
Hi Oksana, the answers are available in the lesson, at the bottom.
Thank you very much. This lesson is very important TO me : )
Awesome! I’m glad to hear that.
Hi Annemarie,
Thanks for this lesson! It was very cleary and helpful!
I’ve juste one question about the Quiz:
Thank you again Annemarie! See you next week!
Hi Anna Beatriz,
This question in the quiz is focused on Situation 1 – giving a reason for something. Why am I ordering flowers? For my friend’s birthday. 😊
You are a great teacher. Thanks a lot. I am proud of being your student.
Thank you so much Annemarie, this is exactly the kind of lesson I need, simple and super useful, I think I will never forget the rule about these two simple but deceptive words. So this lesson was very useful for me too!
P.S: I answered the quiz correctly. Yay!
Awesome, Annalisa! Congrats on a perfect score with the quiz! 🙌
And I’m so glad to know this lesson was helpful. These two little prepositions certainly are a challenge, so I’m happy to provide clarity on how to use them. 😊
Thanks a lot, this lesson was very helpful for me
You’re so welcome, Ana! I’m so glad it was helpful! Great use of ‘for me.’ 😊
Hello! I’ve been searching for this kind of video and it was very helpful. I have so questions though
Can I apply the same way of thinking to other verbs as well? For example: difficult
ex: difficult to me would be personally difficult and difficult for me would me specific about some activity.
Or, which one would be the best: it sounds natural TO me or FOR me?
Or It’s different TO me or FOR me?
Thank you so much!
I REALLY ENJOYED THIS VIDEO ! THANKS SO MUCH! I WILL FOLLOW YOU SINCE TODAY!
Hi. you are amazing. I was looking for the part two of this lesson, where only to or only for are possible.
Hi Annemarie,
I found your video very helpful. I`m a SEL teacher.
Can I ask you whether these two sentences are correct:
“He lent me a book ” and ” He lent a book to me.”
Hi Atanaska,
Thanks for the question. Both sentences are correct.😊
Hi Annemarie,
I’m not a native English speaker so I learn it every day. I found your webpage during a random search. I’d like to say that your style of presenting in your videos is simply magnificient. Thank you for the information you gave me this way. Regards, Tibor
Thank you for the kind comment, Tibor. I’m glad my lessons are helpful.
Hello, Annemarie.
I think Tibor said it perfectly when he wrote “…your style of presenting is simply magnificent.”
Thank you,
Martha
Hi Annemarie,
I always used to struggle understanding the basic idea of using “to” & “for” particularly in the 3rd example given by you in the video. This lesson was very important for me . Many many many many many thanks . You have made my day.
Many thanks, it was really helpful for me! 🙂
I’m so glad it was helpful, Adriana! 🙂
Clear and completely helpful!!!
Thanks
I’m so glad it was helpful to you!
Hi Annemarie. Your grammar lessons are really helpful. Can you give me some more tips for writing. I have an exam in July; exam called IELTS. My grammar is really bad, and i want to improve my writing skills. Thanks
Many thanks, this lesson was very helpful for me .
You’re super welcome, Zahra. I’m glad it was useful.
Hello from Pakistan Annemarie !!!
It is always a sense of satisfaction gaining some logical knowledge and you just contributed to that satisfaction…thanku so much for such great effort.
Enjoyed a lot!
Hello Bisma.
Great! I’m so glad to know this was helpful to you. Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Annemarie
Hello Annemarie! I’m so happy to join you! A friend of mine has told me about your tips and I loved all the useful lessons I’ve already watched here! Thanks so much! 🙂
Hello Marcela,
Wonderful! I’m thrilled to have you join and so happy to know your friend recommended my lessons. Thank you for sharing that and I hope you enjoy the weekly Confident English lessons.
Best, Annemarie
Wow. I love it. It was very clearly lesson.
Great, Jurga! Thank you and I’m glad it was useful.
It is really interesting and important video for me. it is easy to understand what is the difference between To me vs for me. Thank very much for the useful video.
with best,
ana
Hi Ana,
Oh, I’m so happy to know this lesson was helpful to you! And great use of an “important video for me.” 🙂
Best, Annemarie
Hi Annemarie,
Why did you say “helpful to you”? Because it is beneficial for the person, I thought we should use “for”?
Hi Oksana, Thanks for the question. Can you tell me specifically which sentence you are referring to?
It is interesting video, helps me to communcate well.
Thank you so much
Hello Ibrahim,
Wonderful. I’m happy to know this lesson has helped you.
Thank you and well done madam. I really appreciate your free English education.
You’re so welcome, Ekaete. Thank you for your comment.
Hi Annemarie
I am started following you long time back, But not given enough time to watch your videos and lesson, But from last 1 week i was watching your older videos as well as it is vey exciting and easy way to teach english.
Thanks a ton for your videos and it is very important to me.
Hello Mani,
Thank you for your comment and it’s great to have your re-join the weekly lessons! 🙂 I’m very happy to know my lessons are helpful to you.
Hi Annemarie,
As always the lesson and the lecture are very beneficial. As I kept following the speakconfidentenglish lessons, I feel excited for every Wednesday’s lesson to arrive in my inbox. Even though using To and For prepositions appear to be quite intuitive, they are very confusing as well. Understanding these grey areas in English is very important for me. While I wait for Part 2 of this lesson, thank you for your wonderful job and good bye until next Wednesday!
Thanks so much, Hari. And great use of “is very important for me.”
I am thrilled that you enjoy my Wednesday lessons.
We have spent two marvelous rest days in our familiar cottage, and it was important for us. Silence has come to me and made peace in me.
I bought two tomato seedlings, one of them for my wife, and the other for my mother. I planted them, I ordered them to produce a lot of tomatoes for the joy of the ladies. It is important to me sharing with you these informations in connection with this Wednesday lesson.
Thanks so much for sharing, András. What a lovely weekend. And good use of “important for us” and “important to me.”
Hello my best Tutor
Thank you very much for your help and advice
i reaaly appreciate your interesting work
All your videos are very important for me
Best Regards
Hello Farid,
You’re very welcome. I’m glad to know my lessons are helpful to you!
Hi Annemarie,
I feel like I really learnt something new today, it’s very helpful
Great, Sanjeev. I’m very happy to hear that.
Thank you very much for this video! It’s been a bit confusing for me when to use ‘ important for me’ and ‘important to me’. I#m looking forward to your next lesson on this toipic.
Hi Lilianne,
I’m very happy to know this was useful to you! Do you want to try using the expressions in your own sentences for practice?
I’ve learned the meaning of important to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s important for me to speak confident and fluent English, because if I do I’ll be able to pass OPI in English.
My dad’s police uniform hat is important to me, because it’s the only thing I have left that is my dad’s.
Thank you very much!
Hi Milla,
Great!! 🙂
You’ve provided two very good examples of important to me vs. important for me. Well done!
And wow – you’re going to take the OPI! I wish you much success.
Thank you for sharing your comments and examples.
I liked this video it proved to be beneficial for me. 😁
Hi Chi,
Wonderful. I’m so glad it was useful.
hi ma’am, annemarie, thank you very much for the efforts that you extended to me it’s very useful video and i liked it so much.
Hello Aireen,
You’re very welcome. I’m so glad the video lesson was useful to you. Thank you for your comment.
Hello Annemarie, interesting lesson, thanks Giuseppe