concernant

concernant is a French preposition and relative pronoun meaning “regarding,” “concerning,” or “with respect to.” It introduces a complement that indicates the subject matter of a statement, question, or discussion. The term originates from the verb concerner, itself derived from the Latin *concernere* (“to sift together, to bring together”), which combines the prefix *con‑* (“together”) with *cernere* (“to separate, to distinguish”). In modern French, the verb concerner means “to pertain to” or “to affect,” and the prepositional form concerning is used to link ideas without forming a full clause.

In usage, concerning functions similarly to the English preposition “about” or “as to.” It can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence: « Concernant le projet, nous devons revoir le budget » (“Regarding the project, we must review the budget”). When used as a relative pronoun, it introduces a subordinate clause that supplies additional information: « Les mesures, concernant la sécurité, seront renforcées » (“The measures, concerning security, will be strengthened”).

Grammatically, the word is invariable; it does not agree with gender or number. It is frequently found in formal, legal, administrative, and academic texts, where precise reference to topics is required. Synonyms include « au sujet de », « à propos de », and « en ce qui concerne ». In English-language contexts, the French term is sometimes retained for stylistic effect, particularly in diplomatic or scholarly writing. The phrase « concernant » remains a standard element of French discourse, facilitating clear and concise reference to the matters being addressed.