Tratar

Question 1

Tratar

Answer 1

The key is that “tratar” often implies care, attention, or handling something with consideration.

The prepositions that follow (de, com, por) also change the meaning, making it essential to pay attention to the full phrasal construction.

(de) handling things

(com) interacting with people

(por) addressing someone formally .

Question 2

“O médico vai tratar do seu joelho”

“Ela está a tratar a ferida”

Answer 2

(The doctor will treat your knee)

(She’s treating the wound)

To treat (medically)

Question 3

“Vou tratar deste assunto amanhã”

“Ele trata dos negócios da família”

Answer 3

(I’ll deal with this matter tomorrow)

(He handles the family business)

To deal with/handle

Question 4

“Ela trata-me muito bem”

“Não gosto de como ele me trata”

Answer 4

(She treats me very well)

(I don’t like how he treats me)

To treat (someone in a certain way)

Question 5

“Como devo tratá-lo?”

“Trata-me por tu”

Answer 5

(How should I address you?)

(Address me informally/use “tu”)

To address/call someone

Question 6

“Trata-se de um problema sério”

“Do que se trata?”

Answer 6

(It’s about a serious problem)

(What is it about?)

To be about/concern (with “tratar-se de”)

Question 7

“Ela trata dos pais idosos”

“Quem trata do jardim?”

Answer 7

(She takes care of her elderly parents)

(Who takes care of the garden?)

To take care of

Question 8

“Vou tratar do problema”

“Ela trata dos filhos”

“O livro trata de história”

“Trata de chegar cedo”

Answer 8

TRATAR DE

• Deal with/handle:(I’ll deal with the problem)
• Take care of:(She takes care of the children)
• Be about: (The book is about history)
• Try to/attempt: (Try to arrive early)

Question 9

“É difícil tratar com ele”

“Não gosto de tratar com essa empresa”

“Como tratas com os clientes?”

Answer 9

TRATAR COM

• Deal with (people):
  (It’s difficult to deal with him)
• Have dealings with:
  (I don’t like having dealings with that company)
• Interact with:
  (How do you interact with clients?)

Question 10

“Ele trata-me por ‘doutor’”

“Posso tratá-la por Maria?”

“Trata o chefe por ‘senhor’”

Answer 10

TRATAR POR

• Address someone as: (He addresses me as ‘doctor’)
• Call someone by:
  (May I call you Maria?)
• Refer to someone as: (He refers to the boss as ‘sir’)