tratamos
/trah-TAH-mos/
we try
When we put in effort to achieve something, we say 'we try'.
tratamos(verb)
we try
?present action/habitual action
,we attempted
?past completed action (preterite)
we make an effort
?focusing on the effort involved
,we seek to
?formal/written context
📝 In Action
Siempre tratamos de llegar a tiempo a las reuniones.
A2We always try to arrive at the meetings on time.
Ayer tratamos de arreglar el coche, pero fue imposible.
A2Yesterday we attempted to fix the car, but it was impossible.
¿Qué tratamos de lograr con este proyecto?
B1What are we trying to achieve with this project?
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Tratar de'
When 'tratar' means 'to try' or 'to attempt,' it almost always needs the little word 'de' right after it, followed by the action you are trying to do (the infinitive verb).
⭐ Usage Tips
Tense Ambiguity
The form 'tratamos' is tricky because it means 'we try' (now/habitually) AND 'we tried' (in the past). You must use context (like time words, e.g., 'ayer' or 'siempre') to know which one is meant.
Whether providing medical care or showing kindness, 'we treat' refers to how we interact with others.
tratamos(verb)
we treat
?how we behave toward someone/medical care
,we deal with
?handling a subject or problem
we handle
?managing a situation
,we address
?referring to a topic
📝 In Action
En esta clase, tratamos temas de historia y cultura.
A1In this class, we deal with topics of history and culture.
Siempre tratamos a nuestros clientes con respeto.
A1We always treat our clients with respect.
Los médicos nos tratamos unos a otros como colegas.
B2We doctors treat one another as colleagues.
💡 Grammar Points
Treating People (Direct Object)
When 'tratar' refers to treating a person, you must use the 'personal a' before the person or group: 'Tratamos a los niños bien' (We treat the children well).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Tratar' with 'Estar'
Mistake: "Estamos de comer."
Correction: Tratamos de comer. ('Estar' means 'to be' and cannot be used to mean 'to try.')
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tratamos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'tratamos' in the past tense (Preterite)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'tratamos' the same in the Present and Past Tense?
This is common for regular -AR verbs in the 'nosotros' (we) form. In Spanish, 'we try' (Present) and 'we tried' (Preterite) look exactly the same. You must rely on the rest of the sentence (like time markers or context) to know if the action is happening now or happened in the past.
When do I need to use 'de' after 'tratamos'?
Use 'de' when 'tratamos' means 'we try/attempt' to do something, as in 'Tratamos de estudiar' (We try to study). When it means 'we treat' or 'we deal with a subject,' you do not use 'de,' as in 'Tratamos el problema' (We deal with the problem).