In private means with no other people around: Could we discuss the feedback in private? It can be in an office or on a phone call, as long as no one else hears. About a committee or board, it means behind closed doors: the committee met in private.
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speak, discuss, meet or do something + in private
- Could we discuss the feedback in private after the rehearsal?
- The committee met in private before announcing its decision.
- She prefers to practise difficult passages in private before playing for friends.
What changed
First versionCould I speak to you in personal for a moment?
RevisionCould I speak to you in private for a moment?
Personal feels like the right word for a one-to-one talk, so in personal appears. But that phrase doesn't exist. If the point is that nobody else is there, say in private. If the point is meeting face to face, say in person.
In person means face to face: let's meet in person. Such a meeting can still happen in front of everyone. In public is the opposite of in private: don't criticise him in public. In secret goes further: nobody should know the meeting happened at all.
Your turn
I would rather discuss the complaint ___, not in front of the whole team.
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in private — What matters is that the team isn't there, so it's in private. In person only says the talk is face to face, not who else is in the room.
Ask a colleague to discuss one work issue without others present and suggest a time, using in private.
Could we discuss the revised schedule in private before the team meeting?
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