[Grammar] Happen to/happen with

[Joern Matthias]

Hello everybody,

First of all, I wish all of you a happy and healthy new year.

Many times I have come across "happen with" instead of " happen to". Is this sloppy English creeping in?

Is there a difference between " What happened to you?" and "What happened with you?"

Here are some websites with explanations and what do you think of them?

https://ell.stackexchange.com/quest...ifference-between-happens-with-and-happens-to

https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/162810/this-happened-to-me-or-with-me/162814#162814

https://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst5799_happen-to-vs--happen-with.aspx

https://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/topic/happen-to-or-happen-with

Thank you in advance.

Joern

 

[jutfrank]

1) Everything in the Stack Exchange threads is right but none of it relates to your example What happened with you?

2) I don't agree with the person in the Free Dictionary thread who claims it's a lazy/ignorant way of speaking.

3) The answer given by Rachel at the Grammar Exchange is a good one.

 

[GoesStation]

I don't agree with the person in the Free Dictionary thread who claims it's a lazy/ignorant way of speaking.

I'd say that's a lazy and ignorant way to describe a usage, whether or not the usage is grammatically correct.

 

[Joern Matthias]

I'd say that's a lazy and ignorant way to describe a usage, whether or not the usage is grammatically correct.

I think it is a very clear answer that jutfrank gave. Thus I knew the person claiming that the verb 'happen' always has to be followed by the preposition 'to' is wrong.

 

[emsr2d2]

I find "happen with" unnatural in BrE.