personally
- 01 B1 Intermediate
you use this to show that you are giving your own opinion, which might be different from others.
used to indicate that the speaker is expressing a subjective viewpoint or individual preference.
Simple“Personally, I think the blue curtains look much better than the green ones.”
In context“Personally, I find the proposed changes to the curriculum somewhat reductive, though I understand the administrative need for standardisation.”
UsageOften used as a sentence adverb at the beginning of a clause to frame the following statement as an opinion.
Synonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
doing something yourself rather than asking someone else to do it.
denoting individual agency or direct involvement rather than acting through a representative.
Simple“The manager personally checked every room to make sure they were clean.”
In context“The CEO personally oversaw the final stages of the merger to ensure that the corporate culture remained intact during the transition.”
Synonymsin persondirectlyAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
in a way that affects you as an individual person.
relating to a specific individual rather than a group or an abstract entity.
Simple“The new law doesn't affect me personally, but I worry about my friends.”
In context“While the economic downturn was felt across the industry, several junior analysts were personally impacted by the sudden restructuring of the pension fund.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
to feel that a comment or action is an attack on you, even if it was not meant that way.
used with verbs like 'take' to indicate that an action or remark is interpreted as a private slight or emotional affront.
Simple“Please don't take his comments personally; he is just having a bad day.”
In context“It is difficult not to take such pointed criticism personally when you have invested months of intensive labour into the project.”
Synonymsto heart
Usage personally affected
From Middle English personally, personely, personallich, personaliche, equivalent to personal + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.