Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
You use personally to emphasize that you are giving your own opinion.
Personally I think it's a waste of time...
You can disagree about them, and I personally do, but they are great ideas that have made people think...
ADV: ADV with cl [emphasis]
2.
If you do something personally, you do it yourself rather than letting someone else do it.
The minister is returning to Paris to answer the allegations personally...
When the great man arrived, the club's manager personally escorted him upstairs...
ADV: ADV with v
3.
If you meet or know someone personally, you meet or know them in real life, rather than knowing about them or knowing their work.
He did not know them personally, but he was familiar with their reputation...
ADV: ADV with v
4.
You can use personally to say that something refers to an individual person rather than to other people.
He was personally responsible for all that the people had suffered under his rule...
In order for me to spend three months on something it has to interest me personally.
ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj
5.
You can use personally to show that you are talking about someone's private life rather than their professional or public life.
This has taken a great toll on me personally and professionally...
ADV: oft ADV with cl
6.
If you take someone's remarks personally, you are upset because you think that they are criticizing you in particular.
Remember, stick to the issues and don't take it personally.
PHRASE: V inflects