# personal

/ˈpɝsɪnəɫ/ (US) · /pˈɜːsənəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/personal
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. belonging to one person

adjective · CEFR A2

belonging to or intended for one particular person rather than anyone else.

For teachers: pertaining to a specific individual; relating to or affecting a single person rather than a group.

- Please keep your personal belongings with you at all times on the train.
- The CEO insisted on giving the project his personal attention, despite having a capable team of managers to handle the daily operations.

### 2. private or sensitive

adjective · CEFR B1

relating to your private life, feelings, or secrets that you do not want to share with everyone.

For teachers: concerning an individual's private life, relationships, or emotions; often implies a need for discretion or privacy.

- I don't like to answer personal questions about my family during job interviews.
- The biographer struggled to balance the subject's professional achievements with the more sensitive personal details revealed in her private journals.

### 3. done in person

adjective · CEFR B1

done by you yourself, rather than by someone else for you.

For teachers: carried out by the individual concerned without the use of an intermediary or representative.

- The famous author made a personal appearance at the local bookstore.
- The ambassador delivered a personal message from the president, emphasizing the importance of direct diplomatic engagement between the two nations.

### 4. an offensive remark

adjective · CEFR B2

aimed at a person's character or appearance in an unkind or rude way.

For teachers: referring to an individual's character or conduct in a way that is intended to be offensive or insulting.

- There is no need to get personal just because we disagree about the movie.
- The debate turned ugly when one candidate began making personal attacks instead of addressing the policy issues at hand.

### 5. grammar

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

relating to the different 'persons' in grammar, like 'I', 'you', or 'he'.

For teachers: relating to the grammatical category of person, distinguishing between the speaker, the person addressed, and others.

- In English, 'we' is a first-person plural personal pronoun.
- The linguist noted that certain languages omit personal pronouns when the subject is clearly indicated by the verb ending.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'personal pronoun'.

### 6. dating advertisements

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

short advertisements in a newspaper or online where people look for partners or friends.

For teachers: classified advertisements, typically in the plural, placed by individuals seeking romantic or social connections.

- He decided to look through the personals to see if anyone shared his hobbies.
- Before the rise of dating apps, the personals section of the local Sunday paper was a primary way for singles to meet.

Usage: Almost always used in the plural form 'personals'.

## Examples

- I have a few personal items in my desk.
- The manager asked the employee to avoid making personal phone calls during busy office hours.
- While the biography covers his political achievements in detail, it offers very little insight into his personal life or his relationships with his siblings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.