N3 · Expressions (N3)
について and にかんして: what it is about
について, にかんして
について marks what you talk, think or write about; にかんして is its more formal twin.
Noun + について marks the subject matter of speaking, thinking, asking, writing or researching: 日本の歴史について話す, "talk about Japanese history". It goes with verbs such as 話す, 聞く, 考える, 調べる, 書く and 知っている, and in questions asking for an opinion: 〜についてどう思いますか.
Before a noun it becomes についての: 環境についての本, "a book about the environment". に関して means the same and is more formal; it is the form of notices, business e-mails and reports. Before a noun its usual shape is に関する: 環境に関する法律, "laws relating to the environment".
Plain の is not a substitute. 日本の本 is a Japanese book, a book from Japan or a book that belongs to Japan; 日本についての本 is a book about Japan. When the content matters, the longer form is needed.
English "about" has another meaning that について never has: "approximately". About ten people is 十人ぐらい, about three o'clock is 3時ごろ. And "what about …?" in the sense of a suggestion is 〜はどうですか.
The form
| about | 環境について |
| about (before a noun) | 環境についての |
| as for (the topic) | 環境については |
| regarding (formal) | 環境に関して |
| regarding (before a noun) | 環境に関する |
The rules one by one
について marks the subject matter of talking, thinking, asking or writing.
将来について両親と話しました。I talked with my parents about my future.
Before a noun use についての, or にかんする in formal Japanese.
日本の料理についての本を買った。I bought a book about Japanese cooking.
にかんして is the formal version, common in notices, business and writing.
この件に関して、ご質問はありますか。Do you have any questions regarding this matter?
について is "about" a topic, never "about" an amount.
十人ぐらい来ました。About ten people came.
A closer look
について or にかんして
In most sentences the two are interchangeable, and the choice is about register: について in conversation and ordinary writing, に関して where a notice, a company or a formal document is speaking. A shop sign says 返品に関して; a friend asks 旅行について.
に関する before a noun is also far more frequent than に関しての, which exists but sounds heavy. With について there is no such short form: についての is the normal way to put it before a noun.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the form is につき after a number or unit
it means "per" — a formal word for rates and fees.
入場料は一人につき500円です。Admission is five hundred yen per person.
につき is an older, written form of the same expression; frozen after a number, it has come to mean "for each".
How to spot it
- について
- についての
- については
- に関して
- に関する
Example sentences
この町の歴史について調べています。I am researching the history of this town.
新しい計画についてどう思いますか。What do you think about the new plan?
地震についてのニュースを見た。I watched the news about the earthquake.
料金に関しては、後でメールでお知らせします。Regarding the fees, we will let you know later by email.
環境に関する法律が変わった。The laws relating to the environment have changed.
その点については、私も同じ意見です。On that point, I am of the same opinion.
8 more example sentences
先生に宿題について質問した。I asked the teacher about the homework.
日本の習慣について教えてください。Please tell me about Japanese customs.
彼は自分の家族についてあまり話さない。He does not talk much about his family.
事故の原因について、警察が調べている。The police are investigating the cause of the accident.
健康に関する記事をよく読みます。I often read articles about health.
個人情報に関しては、お答えできません。We cannot answer questions regarding personal information.
旅行の日程については、まだ決まっていない。The travel dates have not been decided yet.
大学で日本の経済について勉強しています。I am studying the Japanese economy at university.
Worth knowing (1)
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Talking about something without について
A topic is not normally the object of 話す: 仕事を話す sounds wrong. Either mark the topic, 仕事について話す, or turn it into a kind of talk, 仕事の話をする, which is the more colloquial of the two.
昨日は友達と仕事の話をした。Yesterday I talked about work with a friend.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English uses "about" both for a topic and for an approximate number. について only covers the first. For an amount, Japanese uses ぐらい or くらい (or ほど), and for a point in time ごろ.
について is about a topic; for about a number, use くらい.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.