にとって

Etymology

に + とって (from 取(と)る 'to take'). Literally 'taking [someone] as the reference point.'

Common patterns

• 〜にとって大切(たいせつ) (important for ~)
• 〜にとって必要(ひつよう) (necessary for ~)
• 〜にとって難(むずか)しい (difficult for ~)
• 〜にとっての + noun: prenominal form (私(わたし)にとっての幸(しあわ)せ 'happiness for me')

Forms

• にとっては: emphatic/contrastive form
• にとっても: 'for ~ too'

Similar words

• に: with some adjectives に alone also works (私(わたし)には難(むずか)しい), but にとって is the general way to name the person from whose standpoint something is judged.
• に対(たい)して: toward, against (an attitude or action aimed at someone: 先生(せんせい)に対(たい)して失礼(しつれい)だ). にとって only marks whose viewpoint counts and is not used with actions done to someone: not 先生(せんせい)にとって話(はな)す.