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 or subject being discussed, thought about, or asked about, similar to "about" or "concerning" in English. It attaches directly to a noun, as in このことについて or それについて. It is common in both spoken and written Japanese and works with verbs like 話す, 聞く, and 学ぶ.
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明日このことについてお目にかからなくてはと思います。
I'd better see you about this tomorrow.
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母語についてはいくらたくさん学んでも十分ではない。
You cannot learn too much about your own language.
に関して/関する ni shite suru
concerning, with regard to (formal usage)
に関して means 'regarding' or 'concerning' and introduces the topic being talked about, with a formal tone typical of written or official language. It follows a noun directly, as in 問題に関して. The related form 関する works like a verb modifying a noun, so it attaches to a noun and is followed by another noun, as in 地理に関する知識. The pattern 名詞に関する限り also appears, meaning 'as far as that noun is concerned'.
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文法に関する限り、あなたの作文には誤りはありません。
Your composition is correct, as far as grammar is concerned.
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彼はその問題に関して、表面的な知識しか持っていない。
He has only a superficial knowledge of the subject.
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.