について— On the Subject Of

• 日本の文化について研究しています。

  Nihon no bunka ni tsuite kenkyuu shite imasu.

  I am doing research on Japanese culture.

  について marks 文化 (culture) as the subject of the research

• その事件について詳しく説明してください。

  Sono jiken ni tsuite kuwashiku setsumei shite kudasai.

  Please explain that incident in detail.

  について marks 事件 (the incident) as the topic of explanation

• 環境問題についての本を読んだ。

  Kankyou mondai ni tsuite no hon wo yonda.

  I read a book about environmental issues.

  についての + Noun modifies 本 (a book concerning the topic)

• ・Register: neutral; usable in both speech and writing.
• ・Used with verbs of thinking/speaking/researching: 話す, 考える, 調べる, 書く, 知る.
• ・Attributive form is についての before a noun.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones について is tested against.

• に反して — Against Expectation
• に基づいて — Built on a Foundation
• ～上/上は/上も — In Terms Of, From the Standpoint Of
• ～次第です — The Reason Being…
• ～に至って — Reaching the Extreme Point
• ～を契機に — Seizing the Turning Point
• ～を問わず — Regardless Of
• ～をはじめ／をはじめとして — Starting With