If you have been studying Japanese for a few months, you have almost certainly run into the expression 〜について (ni tsuite). Translated simply, it means “about” or “concerning.”
Whether you are preparing for the JLPT N4 or N3 exam, writing an email to a Japanese colleague, or having a simple conversation with a friend, ～について is one of those essential functional grammar structures you will use every single day.
However, behind its simple surface definition lie important nuances, precise conjugation rules, and structural variations that trip up many English speakers. In this definitive guide, we will break down everything you need to know about ～について, complete with structural formulas, nuances, common mistakes to avoid, and real-world dialogue examples.
What Does ～について (ni tsuite) Mean?
At its core, 〜について (ni tsuite) marks the primary topic, theme, or subject of a sentence—specifically when that sentence involves actions like thinking, speaking, writing, researching, asking, or investigating.
- Kanji form: ～について (often written in hiragana, though the kanji is 就いて, derived from the verb 就く tsuku, meaning “to attend to” or “to take up”).
- Basic Meaning: About, regarding, concerning, on the subject of.
- Equivalent English phrases: “Regarding X,” “On the topic of X,” “About X.”
Basic Example:
日本語の文化について勉強しています。
Nihongo no bunka ni tsuite benkyou shite imasu.
I am studying about Japanese culture.
Sentence Construction Rules & Conjugations
How you connect ～について depends on what comes after it in the sentence. There are two primary patterns you must master:
Pattern 1: [Noun] + について + [Verb / Action]
Pattern 2: [Noun] + についての + [Noun]
Pattern 1: Connecting to a Verb (Noun + について + Verb)
Use this form when you are doing an action (speaking, writing, thinking) about a specific topic.
- 日本の歴史 (Japanese history) + について + 話す (to speak)→ 日本の歴史について話します。 (I will speak about Japanese history.)
Pattern 2: Connecting to Another Noun (Noun + についての + Noun)
When you want to modify a noun directly using the phrase “about X,” you must add the particle の (no) immediately after について.
- 事故 (accident) + についての + ニュース (news)→ 事故についてのニュース (News about the accident)
⚠️ Key Rule: Never say
Noun + について + Noun. You must insert の betweenについてand the following noun.
- Incorrect: 観光についての本 ❌ (Kankou ni tsuite hon)
- Correct: 観光についての本 ⭕ (Kankou ni tsuite no hon – A book about tourism)
Forms & Polite Variations
Depending on the formal context of your conversation or text, ～について can change form.
| Form | Expression | Tone / Context | Example |
| Standard / Casual | ～について | General conversation, everyday writing | この件について話そう。 (Let’s talk about this matter.) |
| Noun Modifier | ～についての | Modifying a noun | それについての本 (A book about that) |
| Keigo / Formal | ～につきまして | Business emails, public speeches, formal presentations | 採用につきまして、ご連絡いたします。 (I am contacting you regarding employment.) |
| Literary / Formal | ～につき | Official announcements, notices, written business reports | 詳細につきましては、ウェブサイトをご確認ください。 (Regarding details, please check the website.) |
～について vs. Related Japanese Particles & Grammar
One of the most challenging parts of learning Japanese grammar is differentiating between terms that seem identical in English translations. Let’s compare ～について with similar structures.
1. ～について vs. ～に関して (ni kan shite)
Both structures translate roughly to “about” or “regarding,” but they differ in formal weight and scope:
- ～について (ni tsuite): Focuses directly on a specific topic. Used in both casual and formal Japanese.
- ～に関して (kan shite): Much more formal and broader in scope. It means “in relation to” or “concerning the general topic of.” It is heavily used in news broadcasts, academic papers, and official business reports.
Example comparison:
- 田中さんについて話しましょう。 (Let’s talk specifically about Tanaka-san.)
- 環境問題に関して議論します。 (We will hold a discussion in relation to environmental issues.)
2. ～について vs. Particle は (wa)
Beginners often confuse topic-marker は with について.
- は simply marks the overall topic of the sentence.
- について explicitly highlights a topic as an object of study, thought, or discussion.
- 田中さんは先生です。 (Tanaka-san is a teacher.)
- 田中さんについて調べます。 (I am going to research about Tanaka-san.)
To test your overall understanding of Japanese particles and grammar structures at the N4 level, you can review the official requirements on the JLPT Official Website.
Common Verbs Used with ～について
～について works seamlessly with verbs related to communication, thought, and research. Here are the most frequent pairings:
- 話す (hanasu) / 語る (kataru): To speak / tell about
- 考える (kangaeru) / 思う (omou): To think about
- 調べる (shiraberu): To investigate / research about
- 書く (kaku): To write about
- 質問する (shitsumon suru) / 聞く (kiku): To ask about
- 知る (shiru) / 学ぶ (manabu): To know / learn about
Practical Examples in Context
Let’s look at practical, natural Japanese sentences across different real-world contexts.
Daily Life Conversations
- 将来の夢について作文を書きました。Shourai no yume ni tsuite sakubun o kakimashita.I wrote an essay about my dream for the future.
- 次の旅行について計画を立てましょう。Tsugi no ryokou ni tsuite keikaku o tatemashou.Let’s make plans for our next trip.
Academic & Learning Contexts
- 大学で日本の経済について研究しています。Daigaku de nihon no keizai ni tsuite kenkyuu shite imasu.I am researching Japanese economics at university.
- この文法について質問があります。Kono bunpou ni tsuite shitsumon ga arimasu.I have a question about this grammar point.
Business & Professional Contexts
- 来週の会議の日程についてご相談したいです。Raishuu no kaigi no nittei ni tsuite gosoudan shitai desu.I would like to consult with you regarding the schedule for next week’s meeting.
- 新商品についての意見を聞かせてください。Shinshouhin ni tsuite no iken o kikasete kudasai.Please let me hear your opinion about the new product.
If you are looking for structured study material, exercises, and vocabulary lists to go along with your grammar preparation, check out the resources available on JLPT Sensei for detailed lesson breakdowns across all test levels.
Natural Conversational Dialogue
To see how ～について functions naturally in conversation, examine this exchange between two colleagues:
会話 (Dialogue):
佐藤 (Sato): 田中さん、来月のイベントについてちょっと話せますか？
Tanaka-san, raigetsu no ibento ni tsuite chotto hanasemasu ka?
(Tanaka-san, can we talk a bit about next month’s event?)
田中 (Tanaka): ええ、大丈夫ですよ。どんなことですか？
Ee, daijoubu desu yo. Donna koto desu ka?
(Yes, sure. What is it about?)
佐藤 (Sato): 予算について少し心配があるんです。もう少し詳しく調べたほうがいいかもしれません。
Yosan ni tsuite sukoshi shinpai ga arun desu. Mou sukoshi kuwashiku shirabeta hou ga ii kamo shiremasen.
(I have a little concern about the budget. It might be better if we investigate it in a bit more detail.)
田中 (Tanaka): わかりました。じゃあ、明日の朝の会議でその件について話し合いましょう。
Wakarimashita. Jaa, ashita no asa no kaigi de sono ken ni tsuite hanashiaimashou.
(Understood. Well, let’s discuss that matter in tomorrow morning’s meeting.)
Frequent Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Forgetting の before a noun
- Wrong: これは日本文化について本です。❌
- Right: これは日本文化についての本です。⭕ (This is a book about Japanese culture.)
Mistake 2: Using it with state/action verbs that don’t take topics
You cannot use ～について with verbs that don’t involve processing or communicating information (like “go,” “eat,” or “buy”).
- Wrong: スーパーについて行きます。❌ (Intending to say “I’m going about the supermarket”)
- Right: スーパーへ行きます。⭕ (I am going to the supermarket.)
Practice Quiz: Test Your Knowledge!
Try translating or completing these sentences to check your understanding:
- Translate: “I want to learn about Japanese food.”
- Complete: この問題 ( ______ ) 考えましょう。 (Let’s think about this problem.)
- Fix the mistake: 最新のニュースについて記事を読みました。 (Is this correct?)
- 日本の食べ物について学びたいです。 (Nihon no tabemono ni tsuite manabitai desu.)
- について (Kono mondai ni tsuite kangaemashou.)
- Correct! (The sentence is grammatically correct as
についてmodifies the action verb読みました). If you wanted to modify the noun directly, it would be: 最新のニュースについての記事 (An article about the latest news).
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
Mastering ～について is a major milestone in your Japanese learning path. It allows you to express your thoughts, ask targeted questions, and participate in deeper discussions beyond basic surface-level statements.
To solidify this grammar point in your memory:
If you have been studying Japanese for a few months, you have almost certainly run into the expression 〜について (ni tsuite). Translated simply, it means “about” or “concerning.”
Whether you are preparing for the JLPT N4 or N3 exam, writing an email to a Japanese colleague, or having a simple conversation with a friend, ～について is one of those essential functional grammar structures you will use every single day.
However, behind its simple surface definition lie important nuances, precise conjugation rules, and structural variations that trip up many English speakers. In this definitive guide, we will break down everything you need to know about ～について, complete with structural formulas, nuances, common mistakes to avoid, and real-world dialogue examples.
What Does ～について (ni tsuite) Mean?
At its core, 〜について (ni tsuite) marks the primary topic, theme, or subject of a sentence—specifically when that sentence involves actions like thinking, speaking, writing, researching, asking, or investigating.
- Kanji form: ～について (often written in hiragana, though the kanji is 就いて, derived from the verb 就く tsuku, meaning “to attend to” or “to take up”).
- Basic Meaning: About, regarding, concerning, on the subject of.
- Equivalent English phrases: “Regarding X,” “On the topic of X,” “About X.”
Basic Example:
日本語の文化について勉強しています。
Nihongo no bunka ni tsuite benkyou shite imasu.
I am studying about Japanese culture.
Sentence Construction Rules & Conjugations
How you connect ～について depends on what comes after it in the sentence. There are two primary patterns you must master:
Pattern 1: [Noun] + について + [Verb / Action]
Pattern 2: [Noun] + についての + [Noun]
Pattern 1: Connecting to a Verb (Noun + について + Verb)
Use this form when you are doing an action (speaking, writing, thinking) about a specific topic.
- 日本の歴史 (Japanese history) + について + 話す (to speak)→ 日本の歴史について話します。 (I will speak about Japanese history.)
Pattern 2: Connecting to Another Noun (Noun + についての + Noun)
When you want to modify a noun directly using the phrase “about X,” you must add the particle の (no) immediately after について.
- 事故 (accident) + についての + ニュース (news)→ 事故についてのニュース (News about the accident)
⚠️ Key Rule: Never say
Noun + について + Noun. You must insert の betweenについてand the following noun.
- Incorrect: 観光についての本 ❌ (Kankou ni tsuite hon)
- Correct: 観光についての本 ⭕ (Kankou ni tsuite no hon – A book about tourism)
Forms & Polite Variations
Depending on the formal context of your conversation or text, ～について can change form.
| Form | Expression | Tone / Context | Example |
| Standard / Casual | ～について | General conversation, everyday writing | この件について話そう。 (Let’s talk about this matter.) |
| Noun Modifier | ～についての | Modifying a noun | それについての本 (A book about that) |
| Keigo / Formal | ～につきまして | Business emails, public speeches, formal presentations | 採用につきまして、ご連絡いたします。 (I am contacting you regarding employment.) |
| Literary / Formal | ～につき | Official announcements, notices, written business reports | 詳細につきましては、ウェブサイトをご確認ください。 (Regarding details, please check the website.) |
～について vs. Related Japanese Particles & Grammar
One of the most challenging parts of learning Japanese grammar is differentiating between terms that seem identical in English translations. Let’s compare ～について with similar structures.
1. ～について vs. ～に関して (ni kan shite)
Both structures translate roughly to “about” or “regarding,” but they differ in formal weight and scope:
- ～について (ni tsuite): Focuses directly on a specific topic. Used in both casual and formal Japanese.
- ～に関して (kan shite): Much more formal and broader in scope. It means “in relation to” or “concerning the general topic of.” It is heavily used in news broadcasts, academic papers, and official business reports.
Example comparison:
- 田中さんについて話しましょう。 (Let’s talk specifically about Tanaka-san.)
- 環境問題に関して議論します。 (We will hold a discussion in relation to environmental issues.)
2. ～について vs. Particle は (wa)
Beginners often confuse topic-marker は with について.
- は simply marks the overall topic of the sentence.
- について explicitly highlights a topic as an object of study, thought, or discussion.
- 田中さんは先生です。 (Tanaka-san is a teacher.)
- 田中さんについて調べます。 (I am going to research about Tanaka-san.)
To test your overall understanding of Japanese particles and grammar structures at the N4 level, you can review the official requirements on the JLPT Official Website.
Common Verbs Used with ～について
～について works seamlessly with verbs related to communication, thought, and research. Here are the most frequent pairings:
- 話す (hanasu) / 語る (kataru): To speak / tell about
- 考える (kangaeru) / 思う (omou): To think about
- 調べる (shiraberu): To investigate / research about
- 書く (kaku): To write about
- 質問する (shitsumon suru) / 聞く (kiku): To ask about
- 知る (shiru) / 学ぶ (manabu): To know / learn about
Practical Examples in Context
Let’s look at practical, natural Japanese sentences across different real-world contexts.
Daily Life Conversations
- 将来の夢について作文を書きました。Shourai no yume ni tsuite sakubun o kakimashita.I wrote an essay about my dream for the future.
- 次の旅行について計画を立てましょう。Tsugi no ryokou ni tsuite keikaku o tatemashou.Let’s make plans for our next trip.
Academic & Learning Contexts
- 大学で日本の経済について研究しています。Daigaku de nihon no keizai ni tsuite kenkyuu shite imasu.I am researching Japanese economics at university.
- この文法について質問があります。Kono bunpou ni tsuite shitsumon ga arimasu.I have a question about this grammar point.
Business & Professional Contexts
- 来週の会議の日程についてご相談したいです。Raishuu no kaigi no nittei ni tsuite gosoudan shitai desu.I would like to consult with you regarding the schedule for next week’s meeting.
- 新商品についての意見を聞かせてください。Shinshouhin ni tsuite no iken o kikasete kudasai.Please let me hear your opinion about the new product.
If you are looking for structured study material, exercises, and vocabulary lists to go along with your grammar preparation, check out the resources available on JLPT Sensei for detailed lesson breakdowns across all test levels.
Natural Conversational Dialogue
To see how ～について functions naturally in conversation, examine this exchange between two colleagues:
会話 (Dialogue):
佐藤 (Sato): 田中さん、来月のイベントについてちょっと話せますか？
Tanaka-san, raigetsu no ibento ni tsuite chotto hanasemasu ka?
(Tanaka-san, can we talk a bit about next month’s event?)
田中 (Tanaka): ええ、大丈夫ですよ。どんなことですか？
Ee, daijoubu desu yo. Donna koto desu ka?
(Yes, sure. What is it about?)
佐藤 (Sato): 予算について少し心配があるんです。もう少し詳しく調べたほうがいいかもしれません。
Yosan ni tsuite sukoshi shinpai ga arun desu. Mou sukoshi kuwashiku shirabeta hou ga ii kamo shiremasen.
(I have a little concern about the budget. It might be better if we investigate it in a bit more detail.)
田中 (Tanaka): わかりました。じゃあ、明日の朝の会議でその件について話し合いましょう。
Wakarimashita. Jaa, ashita no asa no kaigi de sono ken ni tsuite hanashiaimashou.
(Understood. Well, let’s discuss that matter in tomorrow morning’s meeting.)
Frequent Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Forgetting の before a noun
- Wrong: これは日本文化について本です。❌
- Right: これは日本文化についての本です。⭕ (This is a book about Japanese culture.)
Mistake 2: Using it with state/action verbs that don’t take topics
You cannot use ～について with verbs that don’t involve processing or communicating information (like “go,” “eat,” or “buy”).
- Wrong: スーパーについて行きます。❌ (Intending to say “I’m going about the supermarket”)
- Right: スーパーへ行きます。⭕ (I am going to the supermarket.)
Practice Quiz: Test Your Knowledge!
Try translating or completing these sentences to check your understanding:
- Translate: “I want to learn about Japanese food.”
- Complete: この問題 ( ______ ) 考えましょう。 (Let’s think about this problem.)
- Fix the mistake: 最新のニュースについて記事を読みました。 (Is this correct?)
- 日本の食べ物について学びたいです。 (Nihon no tabemono ni tsuite manabitai desu.)
- について (Kono mondai ni tsuite kangaemashou.)
- Correct! (The sentence is grammatically correct as
についてmodifies the action verb読みました). If you wanted to modify the noun directly, it would be: 最新のニュースについての記事 (An article about the latest news).
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
Mastering ～について is a major milestone in your Japanese learning path. It allows you to express your thoughts, ask targeted questions, and participate in deeper discussions beyond basic surface-level statements.
To solidify this grammar point in your memory:
- Write 3 custom practice sentences using
～についてand 2 sentences using～についての. - Say them out loud to build speech muscle memory.
- For additional interactive practice, native audio, and community quizzes, visit Tofugu’s Japanese Grammar Guide to continue expanding your language foundation.
