TOPIK II · LEVEL 3
-에 대해(서)
N에 대해(서) means 'about / regarding N', the most common way to say what something is about.
격식 표현Formal & written phrasesHan: The fixed form is N에 대해, with 에, not 를.
Examples
제 가족에 대해 소개하겠습니다.I'll introduce my family.
그 문제에 대해서 어떻게 생각하세요?What do you think about that issue?
질문에 대한 답을 쓰세요.Write the answer to the question.
Don’t mix up
-에 대해(서)vs-에 관해(서)Nearly the same; 에 대해 is everyday and more frequent, 에 관해 slightly formal.How to build it
N+에 대해(서)
N+에 대한+N
가족 → 가족에 대해서, 질문 → 질문에 대한 답
- Before a noun: 에 대한 N: 한국에 대한 관심.
- Very common in TOPIK writing prompts: ~에 대한 자신의 생각을 쓰십시오.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 한국 문화를 대해서 이야기했어요.
Right: 한국 문화에 대해서 이야기했어요.
The fixed form is N에 대해, with 에, not 를.
Practise -에 대해(서) on real TOPIK questions
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Start 7-day free trialMore level 3 grammar
All TOPIK grammar- -에 관해(서)N에 관해(서) means 'concerning / about N', a slightly formal way to name a topic.
- -에 따르면N에 따르면 means 'according to N' when citing a source of information.
- -에 의하면N에 의하면 means 'according to N', a slightly more formal way to cite a source.
- -(으)ㅁ-(으)ㅁ turns a verb or adjective into a noun; it is used in notes, notices, memos and written records.
- -(으)며-(으)며 is a formal, written 'and' (listing) or 'while' (two actions at once).
- -(이)야-(이)야 emphasizes a topic as obvious or as the only one meant: 'as for N, of course …'.
- -(으)ㄹ 겸-(으)ㄹ 겸 gives one of two or more purposes for a single action: 'partly to …, and also to …'.
- -(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다 expresses regret: 'I should have done …' (but didn't).
- -(으)ㄴ 채(로)-(으)ㄴ 채(로) means doing something while a previous state is still kept: 'with … still on / still …ing'.