sad with / by / at [preposition] (2025)

G

G.Determinism

Senior Member

Tehran

Persian

  • Mar 7, 2016
  • #1

Greetings,

Does 'sad' go with at, by or with?

1. Are you sad with me?

2. I'm sad at/by the news of her death.

Thanks

  • The Newt

    Senior Member

    New England

    English - US

    • Mar 7, 2016
    • #2

    We usually say "I'm saddened by the new of her death," although "at" would also be acceptable. You could also say "sad about." Your first example isn't clear; what is the situation?

    G

    G.Determinism

    Senior Member

    Tehran

    Persian

    • Mar 7, 2016
    • #3

    Thanks, The Newt.

    Can't it mean something like: Are you angry with me?

    The Newt

    Senior Member

    New England

    English - US

    • Mar 7, 2016
    • #4

    G.Determinism said:

    Thanks, The Newt.

    Can't it mean something like: Are you angry with me?

    We wouldn't normally be "sad with" someone, unless you were being sad together, that is, "sad along with me."

    G

    G.Determinism

    Senior Member

    Tehran

    Persian

    • Mar 7, 2016
    • #5

    Thanks a lot. sad with / by / at [preposition] (3)

    G

    G.Determinism

    Senior Member

    Tehran

    Persian

    • Mar 8, 2016
    • #6

    The Newt said:

    We wouldn't normally be "sad with" someone, unless you were being sad together, that is, "sad along with me."

    Does this mean by saying "are you angry with me" we are actually saying "we're being angry together"?
    I've always had a hard time understanding why we use the preposition 'with' in this expression. Why don't we say? "Are you angry from me?"

    Thanks

    The Newt

    Senior Member

    New England

    English - US

    • Mar 8, 2016
    • #7

    G.Determinism said:

    Does this mean by saying "are you angry with me" we are actually saying "we're being angry together"?
    I've always had a hard time understanding why we use the preposition 'with' in this expression. Why don't we say? "Are you angry from me?"

    Thanks

    "Sad" and "angry" aren't treated the same. We normally say "I am angry at you," although "I am angry with you" is also heard. In either case, the idea is "you have made me angry," not "we're angry together."

    "I am angry from you" isn't something we say. In many cases, there's no obvious logic to which preposition is customary in a particular situation; you just have to memorize the customary combinations.

    G

    G.Determinism

    Senior Member

    Tehran

    Persian

    • Mar 10, 2016
    • #8

    Thanks a lot, The Newt and sorry for the delay.
    I understand your point, but at the same time, I believe, it'll be beneficial if we try to back up our learning with logic, and that's what I even occasionally do in my mother tongue as well. There's a whole lot of combinations and phrases, and I suppose by sheer memorizing we are likely to miss the nuances of similar expressions. For instance, a few days ago, I happened to learn the difference between 'shocked at' and 'shocked by' and I'm sure it now sticks in my mind better.

    Thanks

    IsabelMontes

    New Member

    Italian

    • Nov 3, 2019
    • #9

    Hi there!
    Could you please tell me when it is correct to say: 'I'm sad for' and 'I'm sad about?'
    Thank you

    Alan Evangelista

    Senior Member

    Brazil

    Brazilian Portuguese

    • Nov 29, 2019
    • #10

    The Newt said:

    "Sad" and "angry" aren't treated the same. We normally say "I am angry at you," although "I am angry with you" is also heard. In either case, the idea is "you have made me angry," not "we're angry together."

    Sorry for ressurrecting this thread, but I had the same question today. According to Google Books, "angry with you" is more usual than "angry at you". On the other hand, Google Books also shows that "mad at you" is more usual than "mad with you". This is one more evidence of how random prepositions are in languages.

    G.Determinism said:

    1. Are you sad with me?

    The Newt said:

    Your first example isn't clear; what is the situation?

    He meant "are you sad at me?" . In other languages (such as Portuguese and probably also OP's native language), the equivalent of "with" is used in this context. That's why the OP got confused.

    IsabelMontes said:

    Could you please tell me when it is correct to say: 'I'm sad for' and 'I'm sad about?'

    - I'm sad for you ("Sono triste per te" in Italian) - I am sad for the hard situation you are going through.
    - I'm [sad about/saddened by] the news of her death ("Sono triste per la notizia della sua morte" in Italian) - I am sad and the reason is her death.

    Last edited:

    sound shift

    Senior Member

    Derby (central England)

    English - England

    • Nov 29, 2019
    • #11

    Alan Evangelista said:

    He meant "are you sad at me?" . In other languages (such as Portuguese and probably also OP's native language), the equivalent of "with" is used in this context. That's why the OP got confused.

    I'm afraid I would not understand "Are you sad at me?" or "Are you sad with me?" The intended meanings are not clear to me and neither expression is used where I come from.

    Alan Evangelista

    Senior Member

    Brazil

    Brazilian Portuguese

    • Nov 29, 2019
    • #12

    sound shift said:

    I'm afraid I would not understand "Are you sad at me?" or "Are you sad with me?" The intended meanings are not clear to me and neither expression is used where I come from.

    Oops, I thought "sad" and "mad" were used equally with "at". I have just realized that is not true. Sorry for that. I think "I am sad because of you" / "You made me sad" are the usual expressions which are closer to the intended meaning.

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