Learn English – the difference between “happy with something” and “happy about something”

prepositionssentence-meaning

I saw these examples, but I still cannot figure out the difference. When should I use with and about with the word happy?

happy with:
Are you happy with this arrangement?

happy about:
I’m not very happy about the children being out so late.

Best Answer

According to this author there's a subtle difference between the two uses:

be happy with = be satisfied with something you possess or have experienced;

be happy about = be pleased by; be glad that something happened.

However, the author concludes:

Nevertheless, you will hear some native speakers use the two expressions quite interchangeably, so even if you confuse them, you will likely be understood.

This said, if you want to be as correct as possible, you should treat the subject with due care.

Related Topic