について
About/concerning
Use について to mark the subject you are talking, writing, or thinking about. It is the standard way to say 'about' in Japanese.
How It Works
について is the standard compound particle used to indicate the topic or subject matter of a thought, speech, or piece of writing. It is derived from the verb 就く（つく - to take up/assume）.
Key Usage Rules:
- Direct Attachment: It follows a noun directly: 日本（にほん）について (About Japan).
- Noun Modification: To describe another noun (e.g., 'a book about Japan'), you must add the particle の. The structure is [Noun A] + についての + [Noun B].
- Nominalization: It cannot follow a verb directly. You must turn the verb into a noun first using こと. For example: 食べる（たべる）ことについて (About eating).
Nuance & Comparisons:
- Standard Usage: Unlike some formal variations, について is used for both personal and objective topics. It is the most common way to express 'about' when using verbs like 話す（はなす - to talk）, 書く（かく - to write）, 調べる（しらべる - to investigate）, and 考える（かんがえる - to think）.
- Vs. に関して: While both mean 'about/concerning,' に関して is significantly more formal and academic. について is preferred in daily conversation and standard polite speech, whereas に関して is common in news reports, research papers, and business documents.
- Vs. のこと: When talking about people, 彼女（かのじょ）のこと (about her) is often used to refer to her entire being or personal matters, whereas 彼女について (about her) might sound slightly more like she is a subject of study or a specific topic of discussion.
Examples (5)
- 新しい仕事について話しました。
We talked about the new job.
Word by Word: New job about talked.
This is the standard way to introduce the topic of a conversation using a verb of communication like 話す（はなす）.
- 将来の夢について作文を書いてください。
Please write an essay about your dreams for the future.
Word by Word: Future's dreams about essay (object) write please.
The topic of the writing task is introduced by について. It is used here for a personal topic (dreams).
- これは日本の歴史についての本です。
This is a book about Japanese history.
Word by Word: This (topic) Japan's history about-of book is.
When について modifies a noun like 'book', the particle の must be added to form についての.
- その問題については、まだ何も決まっていません。
As for that problem, nothing has been decided yet.
Word by Word: That problem about (topic), yet nothing decided is-not.
Adding the topic marker は after について emphasizes the topic as the main focus of the sentence.
- 環境問題についてどう思いますか。
What do you think about environmental issues?
Word by Word: Environment issues about how think?
について is used here with the verb 思う（おもう） to ask for an opinion on a specific subject.
Common Mistakes
Attaching について directly to a verb.
日本へ行くについて話しました。日本へ行くことについて話しました。について must follow a noun. To talk about an action, you must nominalize the verb using こと.
Omitting の when modifying a noun.
料理について本を買いました。料理についての本を買いました。When 'about [Noun]' describes another noun, you must use the 'についての' form.
Using について for the target of an emotion.
彼は私について親切です。彼は私に対して親切です。について marks a topic of discussion. To express an attitude 'toward' someone, use に対して instead.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'について' (about/concerning), you need to be familiar with the basic particle 'に' and how the 'te-form' of verbs can be used to create compound expressions that function like prepositions in English. It is primarily used to mark a noun as the subject of a discussion or investigation.
- にTarget/location Marker
The pattern 'について' is built upon the particle 'に', which marks the target or direction of the concern.
Level 1 - て形Te-form
The 'て' in 'について' is the te-form of the verb 'つく' (to attach/follow), so understanding how the te-form functions in compound particles is helpful.
Level 2 - はTopic Marker
Since 'について' is often used to establish a topic (often followed by 'は' as in 'については'), understanding the basic topic marker is essential.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- に関してRegarding/concerning
A more formal version of について, often used in academic or business contexts to mean 'related to' or 'in connection with'.
Level 3 - に対してToward/regarding
Often confused with について, but used to indicate a target or recipient of an action/emotion ('toward') rather than a topic of discussion.
Level 3 - ことVerb to Noun
Used to turn verbs into nouns so they can be used with particles like について.
Level 3 - Particle + の + NounParticle Noun Modification
The grammatical rule that requires adding の when a compound particle like について modifies a noun.
Level 2 - によってBy/depending on
Another compound particle that marks means, cause, or agent, often appearing in similar intermediate-level contexts.
Level 3 - によるとAccording to
Used to cite a source of information ('according to'), which is a different way of introducing a topic context.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice について in Bubblegum
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