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Juha
Using TRATTARE/ TRATTARSI
Hello everyone. Could you guys help me understand using the verb TRATTARE, please?
So the understanding i have is that it means : to treat someone or something in a certain manner, to concern itself or oneself and to regard itself or oneself.
Trattare qualcuno come un cane = treat someone like a dog!
La tratto come una principessa = i treat her like a princess!
However then the reflexive verb TRATTARSI has a meaning of : to concern oneself, regard oneself.
Si tratta della cosa più importante = it is of the thing more important!
or : it concerns itself/regards itself to be the most important thing!
Mi tratti come un cane = you treat me like a dog!
Do i have the understanding of this verb correct? Is there anything else i should know about using this verb?
Thank you.
May 12, 2016 8:39 PM
Answers · 10
2
/trattare/ is not reflexive, even if you use it in the form /si tratta/,
it is the construct of the IMPERSONAL form, like /si dice/.
Let's start from /si dice/ that is simpler.
- si dice che la terra e` una sfera.
Who says that? People say that! It is the impersonal form, with a precise meaning:
- si dice che XYZ = la gente dice che XYZ
(where XYZ is the secondary sentence).
In this case the meaning of /si dice/ is explained by the use of the
implicit subject /la gente/.
What about /si tratta/ ? This is mote difficult, as it still is the IMPERSONAL form,
but it does not have another standard way of rewriting it!
/si tratta della cosa piu` importante/
Has the meaning:
/the thing we are speaking of/ is for me the most relevant thing.
So, in /si tratta/ the subject (which is NOT explicit) is the implied context.
Example:
A: guarda questo documento, per favore
B: vedo, si tratta di una vendita di appartamneto, perche` ti interessa?
Here /si tratta di XYZ/ means /il documento che sto guardando riguarda XYZ/,
where XYZ is /una vendita di appartamento/
------
A) cosa hai dentro quello zaino pesante?
B) si tratta del materiale per una esplorazione in grotta.
Here the implicit subject is: /il contenuto dello zaino/,
and so the meaning is:
Il contenuto dello zaino e` il materiale per una esplorazione in grotta.
This is the meaning of /trattare/ like /it is/, /it relates to/ and so on.
The other meaing of /trattare/ (to treat) follows a much easier grammar pattern:
Io tratto bene il mio cane.
Lui non si tratta molto bene. (true reflexive form)
Gli esseri umani a volte si trattano molto male. (reciprocating reflexive form)
May 12, 2016
As a rule I never search over the internet (there are exceptions, when I have some doubts).
My answers might be wrong or much better answers might be found online, but I presume
that the asker is NOT a lazy person that does not want to search the internet,
but he just enjoys a (even if virtual) conversation with a true human being, possibly with
some DIRECT notions of the matter, so thanks to Mr. Juha and the many Askers who are interested in a conversation, even if within limits of time and space.
in a kind of conversations.
May 12, 2016
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Juha
Language Skills
English, Finnish, Italian
Learning Language
Italian
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