Today, let’s have a look at the difference between feel bad and feel bad for. Do you know the difference? Look at the paragraph above once more and then check the lesson below.
You can use feel bad for +
when you feel sad because the person has some misfortune or trouble:
  • I feel bad for Jack because his girlfriend left him.
  • Jenny got laid off from her job. I feel bad for her.
  • There was a terrible storm and many people lost their homes. I fee bad for them.
You can use feel bad for + VerbING when you feel sad because you’ve done something wrong:
  • I feel bad for missing your birthday party.
  • She said she feels bad for leaving him, but she doesn’t love him anymore.
  • I feel bad for breaking your nice pen. I’ll buy you a new one.
You also can use feel bad when you feel sad because you’ve done something wrong. Here, feel baddoesn’t take an object:
  • Oh my! I missed your birthday. I feel so bad.
  • I feel bad because I crashed my car into my sister’s car.
  • I’m sorry for what I said. I feel bad about that.
So note the phrase I feel bad is not the opposite of I feel good! Instead use, I don’t feel well.