"Pertain" and "pertinent" are very common words. They're also very formal, so they're perfect when you need to strike a tone that's serious, businesslike, or even cold and distant.

Talk about things and topics that pertain to certain people, or to other things or topics: "This issue pertains to us." "This law pertains to voting." "They're asking for any information pertaining to the crime."

Or, talk about pertinent facts, reasons, questions, information, considerations, and so on. The idea is always that something is pertinent to something else: "information pertinent to the crime," "facts pertinent to this discussion," etc.

I recommend avoiding the phrases "as pertains to" and "as pertaining to," unless you're trying to sound like a lawyer. For example, instead of saying "We have no information yet as pertains to the safety of this drug" (ew), you can just say "We don't know yet if this drug is safe." 

"Like most people in the Midwest, Embryo doesn't believe in humor, especially when it pertains to sensitive subjects. 'Not funny, Mr. Finch. [Suicide] is not a joking matter.'"
   — Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places, 2015

"The New York Times puzzles grow progressively harder as the week advances, with Monday being the easiest and Saturday requiring the sort of mind that can bend spoons...  It's taken me two years to advance to the level of a Thursday, but still my seven hours of work can be undone by a single question pertaining to sports or opera."
   — David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day, 2000

"When leaving your dog with a sitter, you want to make sure to leave pertinent information such as your contact number as well as the full name, address and phone number of your dog's vet."
   — Jennifer Williams, Fox News, 23 May 2019

has this page helped you understand "pertain" & "pertinent"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about these words, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "pertain" and "pertinent" without saying "to have something to do with" or "relevant."

try them out:

The narrator in Kirby Larson's Hattie Big Sky says:

"My homestead life continues to provide essential education. I have learned that no price can be put on good neighbors. I don't mean to imply I merely treasure the folks around me for the way they help. Granted, I wouldn't be looking out at a quilt of sprouting grain as I survey my flax and wheat fields had my neighbors not intervened. Nor would I be blessed with several new additions to my homestead family. Rather, the lessons this life has planted in my heart pertain more to caring than to crops, more to Golden Rule than gold, more to the proper choice than to the popular choice."

Following her example, list some pertinent things you've learned over the past few years or decades, or some of the pertinent things you believe. What big ideas or concepts do these things pertain to? What do they not pertain to?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Name that Sketchplanation!"

Check out the sketch below, created by Jono Hey at Sketchplanations.com.

Focus on the title, and see if you can come up with the word or phrase that belongs in the blurry spot. It'll be one we've studied before.

See the answer on the original Sketchplanation!

And if you like, review the word here.

review these words:

1. One opposite of PERTINENT is

A. PALATIAL (spacious and magnificent).
B. DEFERENTIAL (respectful toward others in a humble way).
C. TANGENTIAL (only a little bit connected to what you're already talking about).

2. The tone of the word "pertain" is often quite _____, exemplified by this example from _____.

A. dire .. Into the Wild: "Built into his life is awareness of that presence, of the terrain, of the unpredictable weather, of the narrow margin by which he is pertained"

B. formal .. Votes for Women!: "She also cited the section of the New York Constitution that pertained to voting, which said nothing about sex qualification"

C. lighthearted .. Wishtree: "Spring, that old rascal, was pertaining us with the promise of warmer days"

Answers to the review questions: 1. C 2. B

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.