Are you trying to figure out the best preposition to follow “invest”?

It’s important to know which preposition follows the verb to make it effective.

You’ve come to the right place!

This article will teach you the correct way to spell and write “invest” with a preposition.

Invest On or Invest In?

“Invest in” is the most common way to say you will invest in something. “In” almost always follows “invest,” so it’s the only appropriate preposition to use. The only exception is if you “invest on behalf of” someone else. Otherwise, “invest on” is incorrect.

To help reaffirm what we just said, refer to these examples:

I want to invest in these properties. Do you think that’s something you can help me with?

I will invest on behalf of Simon. He has asked me to control his affairs while he’s away.

You should almost always use “invest in.” It makes the most grammatical sense because it shows you’re putting something (like time or money) into another thing.

It’s rare to come across “on” here. As you can see from the example above, “on behalf of” is the only way to make it work.

To showcase the difference, you can refer to this Google Ngram graph. It’s clear that “invest in” is the only useful phrase to include in your writing based on those trendlines.

Invest On

In most cases, “invest on” is incorrect. You cannot “invest on” stocks or properties. It’s only correct to write “invest in.”

However, you can write “invest on” when investing on behalf of someone. It’s only acceptable if you refer to another party and say you’ll invest for them.

For instance:

I will invest on behalf of my company. I’ll let you know what I get from this.

However, if you do not invest on behalf of someone, it’s incorrect to use “on.” Here are some examples to show you what we mean:

• Correct: I would like you to invest in yourself. Please come back to me when you’ve spent the time to do so.
• Incorrect: You cannot invest on something like that. It’s not going to work very well for you.

So, you cannot “invest on” someone or something. You can only do it “on behalf of” another party.

Invest In

It’s always correct to write “invest in.” You can use it whenever you’d like to put time, money, or effort into something.

It’s also appropriate to include “invest in” with a noun between “invest” and “in.” For instance:

• Invest time in
• Invest money in
• Invest my efforts in

Generally, including “invest in” in your spelling is the only correct way. As long as you remember that, you’ll have a much easier time getting it right.

For example:

Why don’t you invest time in them? I think it’s going to help you understand their position better.

I don’t invest in things I can’t understand. Therefore, I think it’s inappropriate for me to work here.

Invest Into

There’s one other option we’d like to finish up with. You can sometimes use “into,” though it’s rarely necessary.

It’s an uncommon phrase that shows you’ll put time or money “into” another item.

However, it’s almost never used. You can refer to this Google Ngram graph to show you what we mean.

With that said, “invest into” is basically a redundant yet correct way to say “invest in.” It’s not something most native readers will use, but it’s still correct.

Here are two examples if you still need some help:

I will invest into my future soon. I know there will be some things coming my way.

You should invest money into this situation. I think it’s going to help you in the long run.

Conclusion

“Invest in” and “invest into” are correct. The best preposition to use is “in.” We recommend only using “invest in” when writing because it makes the most grammatical sense.

It’s incorrect to use “invest on” in most standard contexts. However, you can invest on behalf of someone. Otherwise, stick with “in.”