Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering「について」: Talk About Anything in Japanese (JLPT N3 Grammar)

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“About”, “concerning”, “regarding”

🎯 Primary Function

Indicates the topic or subject of a discussion, statement, thought, or action.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + について
Noun-phrase + について
Verb-plain form + こと + について (less common, often paraphrased)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Very common in formal discussions, presentations, reports, and academic writing.

😊 Informal Situations

Used frequently in casual conversations, though sometimes variations like 「〜の話」 or simply stating the topic are also used.

✍️ Written Language

Extremely common in all forms of written Japanese, from essays to articles to letters.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Widely used in spoken Japanese to introduce or refer to a topic.

💡 Common Applications

Discussing a Topic
Used with verbs like 話す (hanasu – to talk), 議論する (giron suru – to discuss), 考える (kangaeru – to think) to specify what is being discussed, debated, or thought about.
Example: 会議で新しいプロジェクトについて話しました。 (Kaigi de atarashii purojekuto ni tsuite hanashimashita.) – We talked about the new project at the meeting.
Writing or Reporting on a Subject
Used with verbs like 書く (kaku – to write), 発表する (happyou suru – to present), レポートする (repooto suru – to report) to indicate the subject matter.
Example: 日本の文化についてレポートを書きました。 (Nihon no bunka ni tsuite repooto o kakimashita.) – I wrote a report about Japanese culture.
Asking Questions about Something
Used with verbs like 質問する (shitsumon suru – to ask a question) or just in a sentence to inquire about a specific topic.
Example: この問題についてどう思いますか？ (Kono mondai ni tsuite dou omoimasu ka?) – What do you think about this problem?
📊
Frequency
Very high. It is a fundamental particle for indicating topic.
🎚️
Difficulty
Low to Medium. The basic usage is simple, but differentiating it from similar expressions requires practice.
Example Sentences
日本の歴史について勉強しています。
I am studying about Japanese history.
このニュースについてどう思いますか？
What do you think about this news?
将来の計画について話しましょう。
Let’s talk about future plans.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Commonly used verbs
「について」 is frequently paired with verbs related to communication, thought, or research.
Example: 話す (hanasu), 書く (kaku), 考える (kangaeru), 質問する (shitsumon suru), 調べる (shiraberu), 説明する (setsumei suru), 発表する (happyou suru), etc.
Modifying nouns
When 「について」 modifies a noun, it becomes 「についての」.
Example: 環境問題**について**話す (hanasu) – to talk about environmental problems
環境問題**についての**本 (hon) – a book about environmental problems

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using 「と」 instead of 「について」 for “about”
✅ Use 「について」 to indicate the topic of discussion.
While 「と」 can indicate “with” or “and”, and sometimes the object of discussion (e.g., 〜と話す – talk *with* someone), 「について」 specifically marks the *topic* being talked *about*.
❌ Confusing 「について」 and 「に関して」
✅ Use 「について」 for general topics; 「に関して」 for more formal/specific matters.
「に関して」 is generally more formal and often used for official reports, research, or specific related matters. 「について」 is more general and versatile.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Standard/Polite. Suitable for most situations.
Social Situations: Appropriate in academic, business, and daily conversations.
Regional Variations: Usage is standard across regions.

🔍 Subtle Differences

〜について vs. 〜に関して
「について」 is general, “about/concerning”. 「に関して」 is more formal, “regarding/in relation to”.
When to use: Use 「について」 for everyday topics, discussions, and writing. Use 「に関して」 for formal reports, research, official announcements, or when you want a higher degree of formality.
〜について vs. 〜に関する
「について」 follows a noun/phrase directly when it’s the topic of a verb. 「に関する」 is used when modifying a noun, meaning “related to…” or “concerning…”.
When to use: Use 「について」 followed by a verb (〜について話す). Use 「に関する」 followed by a noun (〜に関する記事).
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📝 Conjugation Notes

「について」 is a fixed phrase following a noun or noun-equivalent. It does not conjugate itself.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

The particles に (ni) and ついて (tsuite) are pronounced smoothly together. ついて is pronounced with a slight accent on the Tsu (つ).

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「について」 as “sticking *to* the topic”. ついて (tsuite) comes from the verb つく (tsuku – to stick/attach).

Practice Exercises
次の文の（　）に入る最も適切な言葉を選びなさい。
日本の技術（　）研究しています。
に
と
について
へ
次の文の（　）に入る最も適切な言葉を選びなさい。
彼女は旅行（　）のブログを書いています。
について
に関して
についてへ
についての
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