for someone / to someone

[Taka]

All I would like to say is that it doesn't always have to do with benefits.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Taka

All I would like to say is that it doesn't always have to do with benefits.

All I would like to say is that providing me with a website doesn't help me understand what you, Taka, think. :D What do you think? What is your interpretation of the sentence in question: To me, .... ? Help.

[Taka]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

All I would like to say is that providing me with a website doesn't help me understand what you, Taka, think. :D What do you think? What is your interpretation of the sentence in question: To me, .... ? Help.

As you seemed to misunderstand benefactive as something beneficial, I gave you the link.
-------
At least what I'm thinking, at this moment, is that, as I said repeatedly, it doesn't necessarily have to do with benefits.

Well, Englsih is your first language, right? Then, what kind of difference do you feel when you hear "To me it is important..." and "For me it is important..."? Native feel is something I don't have, and I think it really counts.

[Taka]

tdol, you are a British, using English every day. What kind of difference do you feel between them?

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by Taka

tdol, you are a British, using English every day. What kind of difference do you feel between them?

A&B are like 'should' and C is like 'matters to'.

[Taka]

Originally Posted by tdol

A&B are like 'should' and C is like 'matters to'.

Not that difference, tdol. I mean the difference between "To me, it is improtant." and "For me, it is important".

[Tdol]

It depends on the context. I'd use 'to me' to distinguish myself from the other speakers- if it wasn't important to you or Cas, I'd use it to show the difference in opinion rather thasn 'for me'.

[Taka]

Originally Posted by tdol

It depends on the context. I'd use 'to me' to distinguish myself from the other speakers- if it wasn't important to you or Cas, I'd use it to show the difference in opinion rather thasn 'for me'.

Then, in what kind of situation would you use "For me, it is important"?

[Kumiko-jk]

Hello all, :wink:

First of all, I'd like to say "thank you" for all the posts you put here.
Many thanks for having a discussion about this topic. I've read your posts carefully, with interest.

I really appreciate your explanations, but still I don't understand the differences between to someoneand for someone clearly.

I'm sorry for giving you a touble, but could you please give me more explanations? With some examples? I'm still confused......
(Thanks in advance.)

Hi Casiopea & blacknomi,
Thanks for the welcome messages.

Casiopea,
Are you at the top of Mt. Fuji!? How's the view from there?
What if it erupts!?......

Kumiko

[Casiopea]

You're welcome. :D

Let's try this again, OK? 8)

In the case of "It's important for me", let's try the template,

In order for us to be better_____, we need to_____.

A. It's very important for students to study English every day.
In order for us to be better students, we need to study every day.

B. It's important for doctors to know what patients need.
In order for us to be better doctors, we need to know what our patients need.

In the case of "It's important to me", the preposition 'to' expresses a specific goal, notably "me". That is, it singles "me" out of the crowd. It's kind of like a pointing finger: it's pointing directly at "me" and no one else. So, let's try the phrase, "It's important to ______alone", like this,

C. It's important to me that he reads my novels.
It's important to "me" alone that he reads my novels.
To me alone, it's important that he reads my novels.

In sum, let's try out the phrases "In order for___to be a better ___" and "It's important to_____alone". :D

It's important for me that he reads my novels.
In order for me to be a better writer, it's important that he reads my novels. (Odd)

==> This sentence is odd because "me" and "he" are different people. In order to get a 'for' reading, the person benefiting from the action ("me") needs to be the same person who does the action ("me") i.e., it's important for me to do this. For example,

EX: It's important for me to read my novels. (OK)
In order for me to be a better writer, it's important that I read my novels.

It's important to me that he reads my novels.
It's important to "me" alone.

It's important to students to study.
It's important to "students" alone.

All the best, :D