Kevin Chan asks:
I was wondering whether these two terms are interchangeable.
For example, are the sentences "Is this suitable to you?" and "Is this suitable for you" both correct?
"Suitable" means "appropriate," and both words can take either "to" or "for" as a preposition. To a large extent "suitable to" and "suitable for" are indeed interchangeable, but in the example you give I think I'd use "for." We seem to use "suitable for" when referring to a person or to an "ing" verb, and "suitable to" when referring to a thing or a "to" verb:
The hotel room should be suitable for you.
I tried to make my speech suitable for the audience.
The photograph is suitable for framing.
But:
The hotel room should be suitable to your needs.
I tried to make my speech suitable to the occasion.
The photograph is suitable to be framed.
I base this suggestion not on an authority but on what I hear people use—and I don't hear "suitable to you."
Thanks for the question, Kevin—it's always enjoyable to think about what I never think about!
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