Proud Of or Proud For? Examples and Natural Alternatives
Quick Answer
"Proud of" is correct. Say "I'm proud of you," not "I'm proud for you."
The Rule
Proud of = the standard preposition to use with "proud"
In English, we are "proud of" someone or something. This is a fixed collocation - "proud" almost always takes the preposition "of."
Note: Some people informally say "proud for you" to mean "happy on your behalf," but this is not standard. Use "happy for you" instead.
What Follows "Proud Of"?
- • People: I'm proud of my daughter.
- • Oneself: You should be proud of yourself.
- • Achievements: She's proud of her accomplishments.
- • Things: We're proud of our work.
- • Gerunds: I'm proud of finishing the marathon.
Examples
Proud Of vs Happy For
PROUD OF
Feeling pride in someone's achievement
"I'm proud of you for graduating."
HAPPY FOR
Feeling joy on someone's behalf
"I'm happy for you about the new job."
Both expressions are correct but have slightly different meanings. Don't confuse them!
Choose the message you actually mean
Use proud of when you admire a person, achievement, or effort. Use happy for when you want to celebrate someone’s good news without implying a personal role in the achievement. Proud also works with to plus a verb or with a that-clause, so it is too broad to say that proud must always be followed by of.
| Pattern | Example | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Admiration | I am proud of the progress you have made. | Of introduces the thing you admire. |
| Good news | I am happy for you about the new job. | For identifies the person whose good fortune pleases you. |
| An action | We are proud to support the project. | To introduces a base-form verb. |
| A complete idea | I am proud that you kept trying. | That introduces a clause with a subject and verb. |
| An achievement | She is proud of finishing the course. | An -ing form can follow the preposition of. |
Five practice questions with explanations
Try each sentence before opening its answer. Explain the rule aloud, then write a similar sentence of your own.
I am proud ___ your hard work. (of / for)
Show answer and explanation
of
Hard work is the thing being admired.
We are proud ___ represent our school. (of / to)
Show answer and explanation
to
Use proud to followed by the base verb represent.
Your visa was approved! I am happy ___ you. (of / for)
Show answer and explanation
for
Happy for is the natural way to celebrate another person’s good news.
Rewrite with proud of: She is proud that she completed the race.
Show answer and explanation
She is proud of completing the race.
After of, use a noun or -ing form rather than a complete clause.
Correct this sentence: They are proud of to help.
Show answer and explanation
They are proud to help.
Proud to help and proud of helping are possible patterns; do not combine of and to.
Reference: Cambridge Dictionary: proud. Examples and exercises are written for this lesson.