Learn Hardcore Japanese: watasitati ha syuumatu ni kankyou ni tuite tyousa wo simasu. - We will conduct research about the environment on the weekend.

In 週末に, に is the time marker meaning “on/at.”
In 環境について, the に is part of the fixed pattern N + について meaning “about/concerning.”
They have different functions and aren’t redundant.

What does について mean exactly, and can I replace it?

について comes from に + ついて and functions as a fixed expression “about.”
Common alternatives:
- More formal: 〜に関して
- Before a noun: 〜についての + N or 〜に関する + N (e.g., 環境についての調査, 環境に関する調査)
- Casual: 〜のこと (but 〜のことについて is often wordy/redundant)

Can I say 環境を調査します instead of 環境について調査をします?

Yes. 環境を調査します is perfectly natural and a bit more direct: “investigate the environment itself.”
環境について調査します frames it as “conduct research/survey about the environment.” Both are correct; nuance is subtle.

Why is there を after 調査? Don’t する-verbs drop を?

With “suru-nouns” (サ変名詞), both are correct:
- 調査する
- 調査をする
The shorter 調査する is very common. Keeping を gives a light “do a [noun]” feel; meaning is the same.

Does します here mean future “will” or present “do”?

Polite non-past covers both. It can mean:
- a plan (“we will … [this coming] weekend”)
- a habitual action (especially with cues like よく, いつも, 毎週末)
To make a scheduled plan explicit: 週末に…する予定です／つもりです.

Does 週末に mean this weekend or weekends in general?

週末に by itself usually refers to “the weekend” inferred from context (often the upcoming one).
Be explicit if needed:
- this/coming weekend: 今週末に／今度の週末に
- every weekend: 毎週末に or 週末はよく… (habit)

Why use は after 私たち? Could I use が or omit it?

Can I move 週末に and 環境について around? What order sounds natural?

Order before the verb is flexible:
- 私たちは週末に環境について調査をします
- 私たちは環境について週末に調査をします
Time expressions often appear earlier, but both are fine as long as the verb stays at the end.

Why not use で with 週末, like 週末で?

に marks the time when something happens (“on/at”).
で marks location/means or a time limit (“by”). 週末で tends to mean “by the weekend” (as a deadline) and is not “on the weekend.”

Is 調査 the same as 調べる or 研究?

How do you read the kanji here?

Is it okay to write spaces between words like in the sentence?

Standard Japanese doesn’t use spaces. The spacing here is for learners to show word boundaries and particles.
Normal writing: 私たちは週末に環境について調査をします。

Can について directly modify 調査?

Is します polite enough? What if I need more formal or more casual?

What nuance difference is there between 週末に and 週末は?

週末に states when it happens.
週末は topicalizes weekends and often implies contrast or habit:
- 週末は環境について調査をします = “As for weekends, we (tend to) do research (as opposed to weekdays).”

Do I need both 調査 and します? Could I just use a single verb?

You can:
- drop を: 調査します
- switch to a single native verb when appropriate: 調べます, 研究します
調査をします remains common and correct.

Where would I put adverbs like “often” or “carefully”?

Place them before the verb phrase:
- Frequency: よく/たいてい/時々 before 調査します
- Manner: ていねいに/しっかり before the verb
Example: 私たちは週末によく環境についてていねいに調査します。