How to tell them apart
について is the everyday word for about, used in normal conversation and writing. に関して is the formal, stiff version, used in speeches, news, official announcements, and academic contexts. Swapping them sounds odd: に関して in casual chat feels pompous, while について in a press release can seem too light. The meaning is the same; the difference is register. 日本の文化について話す (casual) vs この件に関して発表する (formal).
- について Use について in ordinary conversation and general writing to say what a topic is about.
- に関して/関する Use に関して in formal speech, news, or official documents to sound more stiff and professional.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| について nitsuite | regarding; on the subject of | N3 |
| に関して/関する ni shite suru | concerning, with regard to (formal usage) | N3 |
について nitsuite
regarding; on the subject of
について marks the topic as regarding or on the subject of, used with verbs of speaking, thinking, learning, knowing, or discussing. It follows a noun directly, as in 日本について, and becomes についての before another noun and については when the topic is contrasted or emphasized. It is neutral and common in both speech and writing, but remember that the noun comes first with no extra particle like を or に in between.
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私はそれについてほとんど知らない。
I know little or nothing about it.
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私たちは外国について多くのことを学ばねばならない。
We must learn a lot about foreign countries.
に関して/関する ni shite suru
concerning, with regard to (formal usage)
に関して expresses concerning or with regard to something and is common in formal writing and speeches. It follows a noun directly, as in 問題に関して. Use に関する before a noun to modify it, as in 問題に関する意見, and use に関して or に関しては to comment on a topic within a sentence. It sounds stiff for casual conversation, where について is more natural.
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この問題に関しては３つの意見がある。
In respect of this question, there are three opinions.
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発音に関しては、彼は全生徒のうちで一番だった。
With respect to pronunciation, he was the best of all the students.
について and に関して/関する are both JLPT N3 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.