In English, the phrase "about it" stays the same regardless of the verb it follows. Whether someone talks about a book, thinks about a problem, or knows about a situation, the preposition "about" covers all these cases. German, however, handles this differently. Instead of using one word for "about," the choice of preposition depends on the verb, adjective, or noun it belongs to. German preserves the connection between verbs and the prepositions they govern, even when referring back to something already mentioned. As a result, several different pronominal adverbs—combinations of da- plus a preposition—can all serve to express what English collapses into "about it."
The most common of these in the sense of "about it" is darüber. It appears with verbs that govern über, such as sprechen über, nachdenken über, or diskutieren über. For example, Wir sprechen darüber means "We’re talking about it," and Er denkt darüber nach means "He is thinking about it." In these cases, darüber carries the meaning of "about it" directly because it reflects the required preposition über. Outside this abstract use, darüber also serves to express literal position or movement. In Die Decke liegt darüber, it means "The blanket lies over it," and in Er springt darüber, it translates as "He jumps over it."
Davon serves a similar function when the verb governs von. It often translates as "about it" or "of it" when referring back to a topic. Er weiß nichts davon means "He knows nothing about it," and Wir reden davon means "We’re talking about it" or "We’re speaking of it." The nuance of reden von or wissen von typically involves knowledge or mention rather than detailed discussion, which would more likely take sprechen über and darüber. Davon also extends to literal meanings, such as in Er läuft davon, meaning "He runs away," where davon refers to moving away from something physically.
Dazu also comes into play when the verb or expression uses zu. It can stand for "about it" or "regarding it" in contexts like Hast du etwas dazu zu sagen?, which translates as "Do you have something to say about it?" Here, dazu refers back to a previously mentioned subject. Additionally, dazu often carries the meaning of "to it" or "for it" in a physical or functional sense, as in Das passt gut dazu ("That goes well with it") or Ich habe keine Zeit dazu ("I don’t have time for it").
Daran appears with verbs that require an and can mean "about it" in cases like Ich denke daran, meaning "I’m thinking about it." Verbs such as arbeiten an or erinnern an also follow this pattern. Er arbeitet daran means "He is working on it," and Ich erinnere mich daran translates as "I remember it." In physical contexts, daran indicates attachment or position, as in Die Lampe hängt daran ("The lamp is hanging from it").
Dabei is another pronominal adverb that sometimes overlaps with the idea of "about it," especially when describing being present or involved. In Er bleibt dabei, it translates to "He sticks to it," though the literal meaning is "He stays with it." Dabei often suggests involvement rather than a general reference to a topic. It also describes being physically present, as in Warst du dabei? ("Were you there?").
Each of these combinations follows the logic of German prepositional requirements. Rather than using a catch-all word for "about," German selects the pronominal adverb that reflects the governed preposition. This system keeps the grammatical structure clear, whether the reference is abstract or spatial. Choosing the correct form depends entirely on which preposition the verb, adjective, or noun naturally takes. German does not allow switching between darüber, davon, dazu, or daran at will—they are not stylistic variants but fixed by the prepositional demands of the language.