Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Iwana]

Dear teachers,

Is there any difference between :
"English is difficult to me" and "English is difficult for me" ?

I need your help.

Thank you very much.

[Mister Micawber]

.
To and for can sometimes be used virtually interchangeably:

To me, this is all nonsense.
For me, this is all nonsense.


But sometimes the meanings differ:

English seems difficult to me = it appears to be a difficult language (even though I have perhaps never studied it)
English seems difficult for me = my study of the language is difficult.


And sometimes only one preposition will work:

English is difficult for me (to cannot be used)
You seem kind to me (for cannot be used)
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[Iwana]

Thank you very much, Mister Micawber.
You are a great help.

Iwana