Tratar De vs. Se Tratar De: Discuss a Topic or Say What It Is About
Recognize topical, practical and identifying uses of tratar. Original examples and explained practice.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated November 2, 2026
The short answer
Tratar de um assunto, tratar alguém bem and se tratar de um engano share a verb but organize their meanings differently. One can concern handling a topic, another the way a person is treated, and another the nature of a situation. The words around tratar do much of the work.
Start with the situation
Original written teaching examples, not transcripts or new recordings
Use tratar de for a topic or matter
Tratar de can introduce the subject a text discusses or a matter someone is handling. In a meeting, vamos tratar desse assunto means you will address that topic. De combines with demonstratives and articles, producing forms such as desse and do. This is more than saying words about something randomly; the context often frames the topic as something to discuss or deal with.
Vamos tratar desse assunto amanhã.
Let us address that topic tomorrow.
O livro trata de uma viagem pelo Brasil.
The book is about a trip through Brazil.
Use se trata de to identify what is involved
Se trata de commonly helps identify the nature of an issue: a misunderstanding, a practical question or something serious. It can sound more formal than é, but it is useful to recognize in explanations. In the standard impersonal construction, trata stays singular. What follows de identifies the matter rather than becoming an ordinary plural subject that changes the verb to tratam.
Não se trata de dinheiro; trata-se de confiança.
It is not about money; it is about trust.
Use tratar alguém with a description of treatment
Tratar someone followed by bem, mal or another manner description concerns how that person is treated. The person receiving the treatment is a direct object here; you are not introducing a discussion topic with de. This frame can describe courtesy or behavior. In a medical setting, tratar can have a treatment-related meaning, so context remains essential rather than one universal translation.
Eles trataram a gente muito bem.
They treated us very well.
Recognize tratar de fazer as an instruction to act
Tratar de followed by an infinitive can urge someone to make sure they do something: trate de chegar cedo. Depending on tone, this can sound firm or bossy. It is useful to understand, but a polite question is often easier for a learner to use when making a request. Do not confuse the action frame with a text being about a topic.
Trate de descansar hoje.
Make sure you get some rest today.
Choose a simpler alternative when precision helps
You do not have to produce every tratar construction immediately. Falar sobre can introduce a topic, cuidar de can describe care in suitable contexts, and é can identify a situation. The purpose of recognizing the frames is to understand what you hear and avoid changing the roles. When you practise, keep de, se and the object together with the verb as a complete phrase.
É um engano. Podemos esclarecer isso.
It is a misunderstanding. We can clear this up.
Try it with your own words
Say or write a Portuguese answer before opening the suggestion. Other natural answers can work; compare the meaning and situation, then read the explanation.
Original practice: Say a documentary discusses a city’s history.
Show a possible answer and explanation
O documentário trata da história da cidade.
Tratar de introduces the topic; de plus a becomes da. The documentary is not treating a person well or badly.
Original practice: Explain that a disagreement concerns trust rather than price.
Show a possible answer and explanation
Não se trata do preço; trata-se de confiança.
The impersonal construction identifies what is at issue. The contrast clarifies the nature of the disagreement rather than who is discussing it.
Original practice: Say the staff treated you well.
Show a possible answer and explanation
A equipe me tratou bem.
Me is the person receiving the treatment, and bem describes how. De is not needed to introduce this direct object.
Original practice: A relative says Trate de comer alguma coisa. Explain the force.
Show a possible answer and explanation
Make sure you eat something.
Tratar de plus infinitive can urge an action. The tone may be caring or firm; it does not mean they are discussing the topic of eating.
Try it with your own example
State a topic you want to address and explain what the real issue involves. Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app