Meaning & use
don't take it personal
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Used to tell someone not to be offended or upset by something, as it is not meant as a personal attack.
Grammar: Used as a complete utterance or with a following clause. The standard form uses 'personally' as an adverb.
Patterns
- don't take it personal, but ...
Don't take it personal, but I think you should reconsider your decision.
I'm just giving you feedback; don't take it personal.
He said, 'Don't take it personal,' but she still felt hurt.
Common combinations
- don't take it personal, but
- Don't take it personal, but your cooking isn't my favorite.
- please don't take it personal
- Please don't take it personal if I decline your invitation.
- I hope you don't take it personal
- I hope you don't take it personal, but I need to be honest.
Synonyms and how they differ
- don't take it personally
- This is the standard, grammatically correct form; use it in formal writing and careful speech.
- no offense
- This is a similar phrase used to soften a potentially offensive statement, but it does not explicitly tell someone not to be upset.
Commonly confused: don't take it personal or personally?
don't take it personal vs personally
'Personally' is the adverb form; 'personal' is an adjective. The correct phrase is 'don't take it personally'.
Practice
Which is the standard, grammatically correct version of this phrase?
Choose one answer.
The adverb 'personally' modifies the verb 'take', so 'don't take it personally' is correct. 'Personal' is an adjective and is considered informal in this phrase. 'Person' and 'personality' are nouns and do not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “don't take it personal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.