to face - to face up to

[dilodi83]

Are they all correct?

1) I think you should face him.
2) I think you should face up to him.
3) You got to be stronger and face these problems!
4) You got to be stronger and face up to these problems!

I'm wondering whether these two verbs have the same meaning and whether I can use them interchangeably. Or, does "to face" mean to confront with something, and "to face up to" mean "to accept something and try to tackle it?

Thank you so much for the explanation.

 

[BobK]

Are they all correct?

1) I think you should face him.
2) I think you should face up to him.
3) You got to be stronger and face these problems!
4) You got to be stronger and face up to these problems!

I'm wondering whether these two verbs have the same meaning and whether I can use them interchangeably:down:. Or, does "to face" mean to confront [STRIKE]with[/STRIKE] something, and "to face up to" mean "to accept something and try to tackle it? The other way round. Examples

On his journey, he faced many difficulties.

but

He knew he would have to face up to Voldemort in the end.

Thank you so much for the explanation.

'Confront with' is very literate mistake to make, but I'm afraid the preposition is wrong. ;-)

b

 

[dilodi83]

So do we generally use "to face" with abstract nouns and "to face up to" with people?

It's strange though...I thought both "I couldn't face my mother" and "I couldn't face up to my mother" sounded good...;-)
I still have lots of doubts about these two similar verbs!:-(

 

[Ksenia]

Sometimes it's not easy to see the difference between 'to face' and 'to face up to'!
Try to read more on-line dictionaries. When I have some doubts I just look through them! There you can find explanations and examples.

Check this one: face - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online
Good luck!

 

[BobK]

:up: dilodi83 It's not as easy as 'abstract object =>face; person => face up to'; both your 'mother' examples are right, but they don't mean exactly the same. Read widely, and use dictionaries (monolingual ones).

b

 

[Hedwig]

An expression I recently learnt is face the music. I like it.

 

[BobK]

An expression I recently learnt is face the music. I like it.

Incidentally, I was visiting a National Trust property that had a chapel, and the guide said that 'face the music' derives from the tradition (in English church architecture) to site the organ at the back of the church. A member of the congregation, singing a solo, had to 'turn round and face the music'. (I don't know whether this is true, but if not it should be ;-))

b