Making sure we use the correct prepositions after words is important when we’re learning the differences between meanings. There’s a slight difference between how we use “convenient to” and “convenient for,” and we’ll explore that difference in this article.
Should You Use “Convenient To” Or “Convenient For”?
“Convenient to” should be used when talking about a location being close to someone and being useful for them to arrive (i.e., “the meeting place is convenient to me). “Convenient for” should be used when talking about a time for something (i.e., “I hope the time is convenient for you).
The two words can also be used interchangeably, and most native speakers aren’t familiar with the difference being that apparent. However, if you want to make sure you’re using all the correct language rules when you write it, make sure you follow the basic definitions above.
Is “Convenient To” Or “Convenient For” Used The Most?
As we said, it’s possible for most people to use the two phrases interchangeably. That means that most people believe that they have a very similar meaning.
If you refer to this graph, you’ll see how similar they are in terms of popularity. Both phrases get a decent amount of usage, with “convenient to” being the slightly more popular of the two (although it’s losing popularity much quicker than “convenient for”).
The reason for this difference in popularity most likely comes down to the situations where people use them. It’s more common for people to ask about convenience related to places and locations rather than asking about convenience concerning times.
7 Examples Of How To Use “Convenient To” In A Sentence
Let’s look at some examples to see how the two phrases differ slightly. The prepositions might be the smallest words, but they can have a pretty big impact on the overall meaning of a phrase.
“Convenient to” is used when we want to say that a location or place is comfortable for us or close by.
- The store is convenient to me, and I can get all I need from it.
- The office is convenient to him because of how close it is.
- The warehouse is convenient to me and always delivers parcels on time.
- You are convenient to me.
- Choose a venue convenient to you to carry out the wedding.
- Call the doctor’s office that’s most convenient to you.
- Find a therapist convenient to you.
In all of these cases, we start the sentences with the object rather than worrying about the subject of the sentence. Generally, if we put the subject at the start (i.e., “I hope”), then we typically end up needing “convenient for” to be the correct saying.
Besides the differences that we mentioned above, the most apparent difference between the two is probably the sentence structure.
Look at the following examples:
- The store is convenient to me.
- It is convenient for me to visit the store.
Both of these are correct, even though “convenient for” in this sense isn’t referring to time. That’s because “convenient to” is often used in the subjective form to accompany the subject of the first sentence, “me.” “Convenient for” is often used in the objective form to accompany the object of the second sentence, “me.”
That’s another difference that you must pay attention to.
7 Examples Of How To Use “Convenient For” In A Sentence
Let’s go through some more examples, but this time using the objective form to see how “convenient for” is most likely to work.
- It’s convenient for us to visit him at this time.
- We should go when it’s convenient for us.
- They want him to arrive when it’s convenient for him.
- It’s convenient for me to go to the shops later.
- This is convenient for him to learn.
- We found what is most convenient for us to work with.
- It is convenient for her to be here.
As you can see, the sentence structure changes slightly when we look at using “convenient for” as the preposition of choice. We mostly use it when talking about times to arrive or other time-related things.
Convenient To/For – Synonyms
Let’s quickly go over a few alternatives that you can use with the same meaning. It’s good to learn these words if you don’t want to worry about potentially getting the prepositions wrong with “to” and “for.”
- Suitable
If something is “suitable” for you, then it means the same as being convenient. It means that the thing works well for you.
- Fitting
Again, “fitting” works well to replace “convenient” and means the same thing.
- Agreeable
If we agree to something, it means it’s usually “convenient” for us to take part.
Which Other Prepositions Can Be Used After “Convenient”?
We don’t just have to stop at “to” and “for” when looking at the prepositions that work best with “convenient.” There’s also the chance to use “convenient with” in the same way we’d use “convenient for.
- It’s convenient with me.
- It’s convenient for me.
Both of these sentences work, but the second one is by far the most popular choice.
What Is The Difference Between Convenience Or Convenient?
Convenient is an adjective used to describe something in a sentence, which works well when we put a preposition after it. Convenience is a noun used as an object in a sentence.
Both words have the same base form that talks about things being convenient for someone. However, you can use the adjective to describe the noun, meaning the following sentence is correct:
- The convenient convenience store is convenient to me.
While it’s not the most appealing sentence, using the adjective to describe the noun works here.
Quiz: Have You Mastered The Convenient To Or For Grammar?
Let’s finish with a quiz to see if you’ve mastered the difference between the two prepositions we’ve covered.
- It’s (A. convenient to / B. convenient for) me to be here.
- We hope this venue is (A. convenient to / B. convenient for) you.
- The hotel is (A. convenient to / B. convenient for) me.
- This is (A. convenient to / B. convenient for) us, and we should make the most of it.
- It’s (A. convenient to / B. convenient for) him, and that’s enough for me.
Quiz Answers
- B
- A
- A
- B
- B
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