tratar-se

The Portuguese reflexive verb tratar-se is a multifaceted gem in the Lusophone linguistic landscape. At its most fundamental level, as an English speaker, you should recognize it as the reflexive form of the verb 'tratar' (to treat). When used reflexively, it primarily means to treat oneself or to seek medical treatment for oneself. This is common in healthcare contexts where an individual is the agent and the recipient of the care. For example, if you have a chronic condition and you are undergoing a specific therapy, you are 'se tratando'. However, the complexity of this verb extends far beyond simple medical care. It is frequently used in the third-person singular impersonal form, trata-se de, which translates to 'it is about', 'it concerns', or 'it is a matter of'. This latter usage is ubiquitous in formal writing, news reporting, and academic discourse. Understanding the distinction between the personal reflexive usage and the impersonal idiomatic usage is crucial for achieving fluency.

Medical Context

When someone says 'Eu preciso me tratar', they are indicating a need for medical or psychological attention. It implies a process of healing or management of health.

Impersonal 'It is about'

The phrase 'Trata-se de uma questão urgente' does not mean someone is treating themselves; rather, it identifies the nature of a situation: 'It is an urgent matter'.

In everyday conversation, you might hear a friend say, 'Você devia se tratar', which could range from a genuine medical suggestion to a playful (or slightly rude) way of saying 'You're crazy' or 'You need help'. The nuance depends entirely on tone and context. In a professional setting, 'tratar-se' is the go-to verb for introducing a topic of discussion without using a personal subject. Instead of saying 'This report talks about...', a Portuguese speaker might say 'Trata-se de um relatório sobre...'. This adds a layer of objectivity and formality to the speech. Furthermore, 'tratar-se' can imply self-care in a broader sense—taking care of one's appearance, diet, or mental well-being. It is a verb of agency, where the subject takes responsibility for their own state of being.

The verb also appears in social etiquette. To 'tratar-se bem' can mean to treat oneself well by eating good food or staying in nice places. It reflects a certain lifestyle choice. Historically, the verb 'tratar' comes from the Latin 'tractare', meaning to handle or manage. When you 'tratar-se', you are managing yourself—your health, your image, or your role in a specific context. This management aspect is what links the medical meaning to the 'it is about' meaning; in both cases, something is being handled or identified. For learners at the A2 level, focusing on the basic reflexive meaning (to seek treatment) is the priority, while being aware that the 'it is about' meaning will appear frequently in reading materials.

Grammar Note

In European Portuguese, the pronoun often follows the verb (tratar-se), while in Brazilian Portuguese, it often precedes it (se tratar), especially in spoken language.

Using tratar-se correctly requires a firm grasp of reflexive pronoun placement and the specific grammatical structures that follow the verb. When you are using the verb to mean 'to treat oneself' (medically or otherwise), you must conjugate 'tratar' and include the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject (me, te, se, nos, vos, se). For example: 'Eu me trato' (I treat myself), 'Nós nos tratamos' (We treat ourselves). In European Portuguese, the enclitic position is standard in affirmative main clauses: 'Trato-me no hospital'. In Brazil, 'Eu me trato' is the natural choice. This reflexive structure is usually followed by a prepositional phrase explaining *how* or *where* the treatment is occurring, often using 'com' (with) or 'em' (in).

The second, and arguably more common, usage is the impersonal 'trata-se de'. This is a fixed expression. You do not change 'trata' to 'tratam' even if the subject following 'de' is plural. This is a common point of confusion for learners. You should always say 'Trata-se de problemas' and never 'Tratam-se de problemas'. The subject is indeterminate, and the verb stays in the third-person singular. This structure is essential for academic writing and formal presentations. It allows you to define a subject objectively. For instance, 'Trata-se de uma nova tecnologia' (It is about a new technology). Note the mandatory use of the preposition 'de' here; without it, the sentence becomes ungrammatical in this context.

Subject-Verb Agreement

In the medical sense: agreement is mandatory (Eles se tratam). In the impersonal sense: the verb is always singular (Trata-se de...).

Another nuance involves negative sentences. When you negate 'tratar-se', the 'não' attracts the pronoun to the pre-verbal position (proclisis), regardless of the regional dialect. 'Eu não me trato' or 'Não se trata de um erro'. This is a consistent rule in Portuguese grammar. Furthermore, in questions, the pronoun also typically moves before the verb: 'De que se trata?' (What is it about?). This question is a very common way to ask for the subject of a conversation or a document. If you walk into a room and see people arguing, you might ask 'Do que se trata?' to understand the conflict. It is more formal and precise than asking 'O que é isso?'.

In the imperative mood, which is used for giving advice, you might see 'Trate-se!'. This is a command to someone to take care of themselves or seek help. You might say this to a friend who has a persistent cough but refuses to go to the doctor. 'Você está tossindo muito, trate-se!'. This uses the subjunctive form as an imperative. In more formal medical literature, instructions might be phrased as 'O paciente deve tratar-se...', using the infinitive. Understanding these variations in mood and tense (tratei-me, tratava-me, tratar-me-ei) allows you to navigate everything from a casual chat to a formal medical consultation. The verb is regular in its 'tratar' stem, making the conjugation relatively straightforward once you master the reflexive pronouns.

Reciprocal Usage

The reflexive form can also be reciprocal: 'Eles se tratam bem' can mean 'They treat each other well'.

In the real world, tratar-se is heard in diverse environments, each highlighting a different facet of its meaning. If you are in a Portuguese-speaking country and visit a hospital or a 'centro de saúde', you will hear this verb constantly. Doctors will ask how long you have been 'se tratando' (treating yourself/being treated) for a condition. You will see signs or brochures about 'como se tratar' (how to treat yourself) for common illnesses like the flu or diabetes. In this context, the verb is practical, clinical, and focused on the individual's health journey. It denotes a proactive approach to wellness.

Switching gears to a business or legal environment, the impersonal 'trata-se de' becomes the star. In a meeting, a manager might introduce a new project by saying, 'Trata-se de uma iniciativa para reduzir custos'. In legal documents, you will see phrases like 'Trata-se de um contrato de prestação de serviços'. Here, the word is a tool for classification and definition. It sounds professional and precise. If you listen to the news on RTP or Globo, journalists use it to summarize stories: 'Trata-se do maior investimento da década no setor'. It provides a formal frame for the information being presented. Listening for this phrase will help you identify the core subject of complex reports.

In social circles and daily life, the verb takes on a more personal, sometimes idiomatic tone. You might hear someone say, 'Ela trata-se muito bem', referring to a woman who buys expensive clothes, goes to spas, and eats at fine restaurants. In this sense, 'tratar-se' is about self-indulgence and maintaining a high standard of living. Conversely, in a heated argument, someone might snap, 'Você precisa se tratar!', implying the other person is acting irrationally or 'crazy'. It is a common colloquial insult in Brazil. You also hear it in the context of relationships: 'Eles se tratam como irmãos' (They treat each other like brothers), showcasing the reciprocal reflexive usage.

Literature and philosophy also make heavy use of 'tratar-se'. When an author writes about the human condition, they might use 'tratar-se' to discuss how one relates to oneself. 'Trata-se de encontrar a paz interior' (It is about finding inner peace). This abstract usage is common in self-help books and philosophical essays. Even in sports commentary, you might hear: 'Trata-se de uma final antecipada', meaning a match between two very strong teams that feels like a final even if it isn't. The versatility of 'tratar-se'—from the physical act of taking medicine to the abstract act of defining a situation—makes it one of the most useful verbs to master for high-level comprehension.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with tratar-se is the confusion between the reflexive and non-reflexive forms. Remember: 'tratar' (without the 'se') means to treat something or someone else, or to deal with/handle a situation. 'Tratar-se' (with the 'se') means the action returns to the subject or is used in the impersonal sense. A common mistake is saying 'Eu trato no hospital' when you mean 'I am receiving treatment'. Without the 'me', it sounds like you are the doctor treating patients there. Always include the reflexive pronoun when the treatment is for you.

Mistake: Omitting the Pronoun

Incorrect: 'Preciso tratar da minha gripe.' (This means 'I need to deal with my flu', which is okay, but 'Preciso me tratar' is the standard for seeking medical care).

Another major pitfall is the pluralization of the impersonal 'trata-se de'. Because English uses 'They are about...' or 'These are matters of...', learners instinctively want to say 'Tratam-se de questões importantes'. This is grammatically incorrect in standard Portuguese. In the 'trata-se de' construction, 'de questões importantes' is a prepositional object, not the subject. Therefore, the verb must remain in the third-person singular: 'Trata-se de questões importantes'. This is a classic 'pegadinha' (trap) in Portuguese grammar exams and a sign of a high-level speaker when executed correctly. If you master this, you will sound much more educated.

The third common mistake involves the preposition 'de'. Learners often forget it when using the impersonal form, saying 'Trata-se um problema' instead of 'Trata-se de um problema'. Without the 'de', the meaning changes or becomes nonsensical. In the reflexive medical sense, 'de' is not used in the same way. You say 'Eu me trato com um médico' (I treat myself with a doctor), not 'Eu me trato de um médico'. However, you *can* say 'Eu me trato de uma doença' (I am treating myself for a disease), but even there, 'para' or 'contra' is often clearer. Keeping the prepositions straight is key to clarity.

Finally, pronoun placement (clisis) is a constant struggle. In Portugal, you might say 'Trata-se de...', but in a negative sentence, you must say 'Não se trata de...'. English speakers often carry over the word order from their native language, resulting in 'Não trata-se de...', which sounds very jarring to a native ear. Similarly, in Brazil, the tendency to put the pronoun before the verb ('se trata') is strong, but in formal writing, you should still follow the standard rules. Avoid using 'se' at the very beginning of a sentence in formal contexts; use 'Trata-se' instead of 'Se trata' to start a paragraph.

Agreement Trap

Remember: If there is a 'de', the verb is singular. If there is no 'de' and it's a passive/reflexive construction, the verb agrees with the subject (e.g., 'Tratam-se feridas' - Wounds are treated).

Depending on the context, you might want to swap tratar-se for a more specific or less formal synonym. If you are talking about medical treatment, cuidar-se (to take care of oneself) is a very common and warmer alternative. While 'tratar-se' sounds a bit more clinical, 'cuidar-se' implies a broader sense of well-being and self-love. You might tell a friend, 'Cuida-te!' (Take care of yourself!) as a goodbye or as advice. Another medical alternative is medicar-se, but this specifically refers to taking medication, often without a doctor's prescription (self-medicating).

Tratar-se vs. Cuidar-se

'Tratar-se' is often for a specific ailment. 'Cuidar-se' is general maintenance of health and safety.

Trata-se de vs. É sobre

'Trata-se de' is formal/academic. 'É sobre' is casual and direct, common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

When using the impersonal 'trata-se de', alternatives include consistir em (to consist of), referir-se a (to refer to), or simply the verb ser (to be). 'Consistir em' is useful when you are breaking down the components of something. 'Referir-se a' is better when you are pointing to a specific mention or topic. If 'trata-se de' feels too heavy for your conversation, just use 'é': 'Isso é um problema sério' instead of 'Trata-se de um problema sério'. However, in a university essay, 'trata-se de' is much more appropriate. Another formal option is dizer respeito a (to concern/to be regarding), which is very common in legal and administrative contexts.

In the sense of social behavior, comportar-se (to behave) can be a synonym if you are talking about how someone 'treats themselves' in public. If you mean 'treating each other', relacionar-se (to relate to one another) is a good alternative. For example, 'Eles se tratam bem' can be replaced by 'Eles se relacionam bem'. Each of these alternatives carries a slightly different weight. 'Tratar-se' is the most versatile, but 'cuidar-se' is the most affectionate, and 'referir-se a' is the most precise for identifying topics. Expanding your vocabulary with these synonyms will allow you to adjust your tone to the situation perfectly.