Tratarse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb tratarse means to be about, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Tratarse means to be about, and it is used for the subject of a book, a film, a meeting and a problem: se trata de un viaje, se trata de un error. It is almost always used in the third person with de, and it is fully regular. The non-reflexive tratar means to treat or to deal with. Like every Spanish verb, tratarse changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say Se trata de un problema de salud, and in the preterite you say Se trató de una historia real. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: tratarse
  • English: to be about
  • Verb type: regular -ar verb, reflexive
  • Ending: -ar
  • Gerund: tratando
  • Past participle: tratado
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + tratado)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for tratarse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Tratarse is almost always third person: se trata de un problema. The pronoun se is part of the meaning.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for tratarse. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Pronoun Form
yo me trato
tú te tratas
él/ella/Ud. se trata
nosotros/as nos tratamos
vosotros/as os tratáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se tratan

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me traté
tú te trataste
él/ella/Ud. se trató
nosotros/as nos tratamos
vosotros/as os tratasteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se trataron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me trataba
tú te tratabas
él/ella/Ud. se trataba
nosotros/as nos tratábamos
vosotros/as os tratabais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se trataban

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me trataré
tú te tratarás
él/ella/Ud. se tratará
nosotros/as nos trataremos
vosotros/as os trataréis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se tratarán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me trataría
tú te tratarías
él/ella/Ud. se trataría
nosotros/as nos trataríamos
vosotros/as os trataríais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se tratarían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he tratado
tú te has tratado
él/ella/Ud. se ha tratado
nosotros/as nos hemos tratado
vosotros/as os habéis tratado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han tratado

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había tratado
tú te habías tratado
él/ella/Ud. se había tratado
nosotros/as nos habíamos tratado
vosotros/as os habíais tratado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían tratado

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré tratado
tú te habrás tratado
él/ella/Ud. se habrá tratado
nosotros/as nos habremos tratado
vosotros/as os habréis tratado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán tratado

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría tratado
tú te habrías tratado
él/ella/Ud. se habría tratado
nosotros/as nos habríamos tratado
vosotros/as os habríais tratado
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían tratado

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me trate
tú te trates
él/ella/Ud. se trate
nosotros/as nos tratemos
vosotros/as os tratéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se traten

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me tratara
tú te trataras
él/ella/Ud. se tratara
nosotros/as nos tratáramos
vosotros/as os tratarais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se trataran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te trata
él/ella/Ud. se trate
nosotros/as nos tratemos
vosotros/as os tratad
ellos/ellas/Uds. se traten

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te trates
él/ella/Ud. se trate
nosotros/as nos tratemos
vosotros/as os tratéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se traten

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund tratando with estar for the progressive: estoy tratando (or me estoy tratando for this reflexive verb)
Past participle tratado with haber for the perfect tenses: he tratado

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Se trata de un problema de salud. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, se trató de una historia real. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Antes, se trataba de un viaje a Madrid. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, se tratará del nuevo proyecto. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Se trataría de un problema de salud. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, se ha tratado de una historia real. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Ya se había tratado de un viaje a Madrid. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, se habrá tratado del nuevo proyecto. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Se habría tratado de un problema de salud. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que se trate de una historia real. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si se tratara de un viaje a Madrid, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se trate del nuevo proyecto. Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For tratarse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No se trate de un problema de salud. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with tratarse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Se trata de un problema de salud. — It is about a health problem.
  2. El libro se trata de una historia real. — The book is about a true story.
  3. Ayer, la película se trató de un viaje a Madrid. — The film was about a trip to Madrid.
  4. El informe se trataba del nuevo proyecto. — The report was about the new project.
  5. El tema se tratará de un problema de salud. — The topic will be about a health problem.
  6. Se trataría de una historia real. — It would be about a true story.
  7. El libro se ha tratado de un viaje a Madrid. — The book has been about a trip to Madrid.
  8. Espero que se trate del nuevo proyecto. — I hope it is about the new project.
  9. El informe se había tratado de un problema de salud. — The report had been about a health problem.
  10. El tema se trataba de una historia real. — The topic was about a true story.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo me trato de un problema de salud. — Right: Se trata de un problema de salud. — Tratarse is almost always third person: se trata, not yo me trato. The subject is the thing the conversation is about, not the speaker.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo trato de una historia real. — Right: Ayer yo traté de una historia real. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: trato is happening now, while traté is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating tratarse and tratar as identical in every context. — Right: Tratarse means to be about, while tratar means to treat, to deal with. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: tratarse fits sentences such as Se trata de un problema de salud, while tratar belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy tratado de una historia real. — Right: Yo he tratado de una historia real. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he tratado, has tratado, ha tratado. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo traté de un viaje a Madrid todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo trataba de un viaje a Madrid todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (trataba), not the preterite. The preterite (traté) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on tratarse. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: ___ de un problema de salud. (present tense) A. se trata B. me trato C. te tratas D. nos tratamos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, ___ de una historia real. (preterite) A. me traté B. te trataste C. nos tratamos D. se trató

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, ___ de un viaje a Madrid. (imperfect) A. te tratabas B. nos tratábamos C. se trataba D. me trataba

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, ___ del nuevo proyecto. (future) A. nos trataremos B. se tratará C. me trataré D. te tratarás

  5. Complete the sentence: ___ de un problema de salud si pudiera. (conditional) A. se trataría B. me trataría C. te tratarías D. nos trataríamos

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que ___ de una historia real. (present subjunctive) A. me trate B. te trates C. nos tratemos D. se trate

  7. Complete the sentence: Si ___ de un viaje a Madrid, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. te trataras B. nos tratáramos C. se tratara D. me tratara

  8. Complete the sentence: ___ del nuevo proyecto. (present perfect) A. nos hemos tratado B. se ha tratado C. me he tratado D. te has tratado

  9. Which is the past participle of tratarse, used with haber in the perfect tenses? A. tratado B. tratando C. trato D. traté

  10. Which is the gerund of tratarse, used with estar for the progressive? A. tratado B. trato C. traté D. tratando

Answer key

  1. se trata — The él/ella/Ud. present tense of tratarse is se trata.
  2. se trató — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of tratarse is se trató.
  3. se trataba — The él/ella/Ud. imperfect of tratarse is se trataba.
  4. se tratará — The él/ella/Ud. future of tratarse is se tratará.
  5. se trataría — The él/ella/Ud. conditional of tratarse is se trataría.
  6. se trate — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of tratarse is se trate.
  7. se tratara — The él/ella/Ud. imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of tratarse is se tratara.
  8. se ha tratado — The él/ella/Ud. present perfect of tratarse is se ha tratado.
  9. tratado — The past participle of tratarse is tratado: he tratado. The gerund tratando is used with estar instead.
  10. tratando — The gerund of tratarse is tratando: estoy tratando. The participle tratado is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does tratarse mean in English?

Tratarse means to be about. It is used in sentences such as Se trata de un problema de salud — it is about a health problem. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is tratarse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Tratarse is reflexive, so it always takes the pronoun se in the third person: se trata, se trataba, se tratará. For example, Se trata de un problema de salud and El libro se trata de una historia real. The verb is almost always third person, so you will rarely need me trato or te tratas.

What is the difference between tratarse and tratar?

Tratarse means to be about, while tratar means to treat, to deal with. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use tratarse when you mean to be about, as in Se trata de un problema de salud, and use tratar for to treat, to deal with. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “it was about something” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished situation, use the preterite: se trató de una historia real. For background in the past, use the imperfect: se trataba de un viaje a Madrid. For something that has just been the topic, use the present perfect: se ha tratado de una historia real.

How do I practise tratarse?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the tratarse examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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