tratar Imperfect Conjugation
tratar — to try
The imperfect of tratar is regular: trataba, tratabas, trataba, tratábamos, tratabais, trataban.
tratar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect to describe ongoing attempts or treatments in the past where the end point isn't specified, or to describe how someone used to treat others habitually.
Notes on tratar in the Imperfect
Tratar is completely regular in the imperfect. Remember that the 'yo' and 'él/ella/usted' forms are identical (trataba).
Example Sentences
Antes, yo trataba de correr todos los días.
Before, I used to try to run every day.
yo
Mis abuelos nos trataban con mucho cariño.
My grandparents used to treat us with a lot of affection.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Él trataba de arreglar el coche cuando llegué.
He was trying to fix the car when I arrived.
él/ella/usted
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Adding an accent to all forms, like 'tratába'.
Correct: Only the nosotros form has an accent: tratábamos.
Why: In -ar verbs, only the first person plural carries a written accent in the imperfect.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'tratar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: trato
The present of tratar is regular: trato, tratas, trata, tratamos, tratáis, tratan.
Preterite
yo: traté
The preterite of tratar is regular: traté, trataste, trató, tratamos, tratasteis, trataron.
Future
yo: trataré
The future of tratar is regular: trataré, tratarás, tratará, trataremos, trataréis, tratarán.
Conditional
yo: trataría
The conditional of tratar is regular: trataría, tratarías, trataría, trataríamos, trataríais, tratarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: trate
The present subjunctive of tratar is regular: trate, trates, trate, tratemos, tratéis, traten.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: tratara
The imperfect subjunctive of tratar is regular: tratara, trataras, tratara, tratáramos, tratarais, trataran.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: trata
The affirmative imperative of tratar is: trata (tú), trate (usted), tratemos (nosotros), tratad (vosotros), traten (ustedes).
Negative Imperative
yo: no trates
The negative imperative uses present subjunctive forms: no trates, no trate, no tratemos, no tratéis, no traten.