# personally

/ˈpɝsənəɫi/ (US) · /pˈɜːsənəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/personally
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. giving an opinion

adverb · CEFR B1

you use this to show that you are giving your own opinion, which might be different from others.

For teachers: used to indicate that the speaker is expressing a subjective viewpoint or individual preference.

- Personally, I think the blue curtains look much better than the green ones.
- Personally, I find the proposed changes to the curriculum somewhat reductive, though I understand the administrative need for standardisation.

Usage: Often used as a sentence adverb at the beginning of a clause to frame the following statement as an opinion.

### 2. doing something yourself

adverb · CEFR B1

doing something yourself rather than asking someone else to do it.

For teachers: denoting individual agency or direct involvement rather than acting through a representative.

- The manager personally checked every room to make sure they were clean.
- The CEO personally oversaw the final stages of the merger to ensure that the corporate culture remained intact during the transition.

### 3. affecting you individually

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that affects you as an individual person.

For teachers: relating to a specific individual rather than a group or an abstract entity.

- The new law doesn't affect me personally, but I worry about my friends.
- While the economic downturn was felt across the industry, several junior analysts were personally impacted by the sudden restructuring of the pension fund.

### 4. taking something to heart

adverb · CEFR B2

to feel that a comment or action is an attack on you, even if it was not meant that way.

For teachers: used with verbs like 'take' to indicate that an action or remark is interpreted as a private slight or emotional affront.

- Please don't take his comments personally; he is just having a bad day.
- It is difficult not to take such pointed criticism personally when you have invested months of intensive labour into the project.

## Examples

- Personally, I think the movie is too long.
- The manager decided to personally oversee the project to ensure that no further mistakes were made.
- While the board of directors approved the merger, several senior partners were personally opposed to the deal, citing concerns about the long-term stability of the company.

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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.