Congratulations On

Congratulations: When to Use "On" or "For"

The Rule of Thumb

When expressing good wishes or acknowledging someone's achievements, the phrase "congratulations" is often used. However, you may wonder whether to say "congratulations on" or "congratulations for." The answer depends on the situation.

"Congratulations On"

When to Use

Use "congratulations on" when you want to wish someone well for a specific occasion, success, or reason. For example: *

Congratulations on your new home!

*

Congratulations on the birth of your baby!

*

Congratulations on your promotion!

Why?

We use the preposition "on" to refer to specific events or achievements. It indicates that the congratulations are being offered for a particular reason.

"Congratulations For"

When to Use

Use "congratulations for" when you want to acknowledge someone's efforts, skills, or qualities. For example: *

Congratulations for your hard work!

*

Congratulations for your dedication!

*

Congratulations for being a great friend!

Why?

In these cases, we are congratulating the person for their underlying attributes or actions, rather than for a specific outcome.

Remember the Singular Form

When using "congratulations" as a noun in the singular form, we typically omit the preposition: *

Please offer my congratulations to the winners.

*

She received many congratulations on her graduation.

Conclusion

Choosing the correct preposition in "congratulations on" or "congratulations for" depends on whether you are referring to a specific occasion or event (use "on") or to someone's general qualities or efforts (use "for").