tratan
/TRAH-tahn/
they treat
Tratan means 'they treat,' often referring to how people behave towards others. Here, they treat the injured child kindly.
tratan(verb)
they treat
?how people are behaved towards
,you (pl., formal) treat
?how people are behaved towards
they handle
?managing a situation or person
,they deal with
?managing a situation or person
📝 In Action
Ellos tratan muy bien a todos los clientes.
A2They treat all the clients very well.
Ustedes tratan los problemas con mucha calma.
B1You (formal plural) handle the problems very calmly.
Mis vecinos siempre me tratan con amabilidad.
A2My neighbors always treat me with kindness.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the Speaker
Since 'tratan' ends in -an, the person doing the action is always plural: 'ellos' (they), 'ellas' (they, feminine), or 'ustedes' (you all, formal).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Tratar' and 'Intentar'
Mistake: "Using 'tratan' alone when you mean 'they try to do something.'"
Correction: When meaning 'try,' you must add 'de' before the next verb: 'Tratan de estudiar' (They try to study).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Tratar de'
When talking about making an effort or attempting something, always use the pattern 'tratar de' + the action verb.
Tratan also means 'they are about' when describing the subject or theme of something, like a book or movie. This book is about space.
tratan(verb)
they are about
?referring to the subject of a book, movie, or conversation
they concern
?formal way of saying 'be about'
📝 In Action
¿De qué tratan estas películas?
B1What are these movies about?
Los documentos tratan sobre la nueva política ambiental.
B2The documents are about the new environmental policy.
Las noticias tratan temas muy delicados hoy.
B1The news deals with very sensitive topics today.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'De'
When 'tratar' means 'be about,' it is almost always followed by the preposition 'de' or 'sobre' to introduce the topic.
⭐ Usage Tips
Asking About Content
A very natural way to ask what something (like a book or meeting) is about is: '¿De qué tratan?'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: tratan
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'tratan' to mean 'they try'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'tratan' the same as 'traten'?
No. 'Tratan' is the form used for facts and reality (Present Indicative: They treat). 'Traten' is the form used for wishes, doubts, or requests (Present Subjunctive: That they treat, or the formal command 'Treat!').
How do I know if 'tratan' means 'treat' or 'are about'?
If 'tratan' is followed by a person, it means 'treat' ('tratan a sus amigos'). If it is followed by 'de' or 'sobre' and a topic, it means 'are about' ('tratan sobre historia').