about可以用作介词，也可以用作副词，我们分两部分来说，今天主要谈谈about用作介词。1.about的意思可以是“关于”，在不同的场合有不同的译法，这时我们要注意它的各种搭配。

1）about可以和某些动词连用，常见的有talk、ask等。比如： He began to ask her about herself.她开始问自己。My aunt has often spoken to me about you.我婶婶经常跟我说起你。What have you been thinking about？你在想什么？

2）about可以和某些形容词连用，常见的有：happy、sorry、anxious、right、worried、crazy、foolish、mad、uncomfortable等。比如：

We were very anxious about him.我们很担心他。You are entirely wrong about the whole matter.这件事情你错了。

2.about可以指“在……附近，围绕”。比如：Everything about me is so beautiful.我周边的一切都是非常漂亮的。They stood all about him as he sat.他坐在那里，他们都围着他。I went closer，and he put his arms about me.我走上前，他抱住了我。

3.about可以表示“在……范围，到处”。比如：The papers were scattered about the floor.地板上到处散落着纸张。He got up and strolled about the room.他起身在房间里来回的溜达。

4.about指“在……附近，在……一带，在身边”。比如：This is the most beautiful country about here.这是附近最漂亮的乡村了。She is a woman who likes to have her children about her.她是一个喜欢孩子们守在她身边的人。

5.about指“某人，某地，某物有某种特点”。比如：There is a strange smell about him.他身上有一种奇怪的味道。He has a certain way about him.他有一种特殊的气质。There was something about him that I did not like.他身上有些东西我不喜欢。

6.about指“在身边，身上带有某物”。比如：Have you a pencil about you?你带铅笔了吗？I suddenly realized that I had no money about me.我突然发现我没带钱。这是考试的考点之一。

7.about可以用在成语当中。

1）be about的意思是“在干某事，忙于某事”。比如：what are you about？Come along.你在忙什么？过来。I don‘t like to be interrupted when I‘m about an important piece of work.当我在忙一项非常重要的工作时，我不喜欢被人打扰。

2）go about，意思是“着手做某事”，比如：Do you know how to go about it？你知道怎么做这个事情吗？

3）see about意思是“负责处理”。比如：I will see about it.我来负责处理这件事情。

4）what about意思是“怎么样；（对于）……怎么样”。比如： What about father？we can‘t just leave him here.父亲怎么办？我们不能把他丢在这里。What about that business we talked about this morning?我们今天早晨谈到的这个生意怎么样？

5）how about的意思是“你认为…怎样”。比如：How about going to bed?上床怎么样？How about sending him a copy?送给他一本怎么样？

需要注意的what about 和how about后面都要跟名词、代词或者动名词，这也是完形填空考试中常见的考点。