truco o trato
/ˌtɾuko o ˈtɾato/
The English phrase "trick or treat" is translated into Spanish as truco o trato. Wiktionary also lists treta o trato and dulce o trato.
Meaning: request for candy tied to an unstated light-hearted threat (intj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| truco o trato | /ˌtɾuko o ˈtɾato/ |
| treta o trato | /tɾeta o tɾato/ (from spelling rules) |
| dulce o trato | /dulθe o tɾato/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /dulse o tɾato/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
This phrase is used to request candy while making a light-hearted, unstated threat.
Which one should you use?
The forms truco o trato, treta o trato and dulce o trato are available in the language.
Is it said differently in some regions?
While truco o trato is a direct translation of the English idiom, it is primarily used in areas with heavy North American cultural influence or in bilingual contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌtɾuko o ˈtɾato/
Did you know?
- In Mexico, the tradition of 'trick or treat' often coexists with 'Día de los Muertos', where food is offered to the deceased rather than requested from neighbors.
- While truco o trato is a direct translation, many Spanish speakers traditionally celebrate 'All Saints' Day' on November 1 instead of the Anglo-American Halloween custom.
- The word trato refers to a 'deal' or 'treatment', implying that the 'treat' part of the phrase is actually a negotiated agreement.
Examples in context
- “¡Truco o Trato!”.Trick or treat.This sentence shows the direct exclamation of the phrase using truco o trato.Tatoeba #9150550 by rafaeldejesus8199, translation #1857544 by Spamster
- Van de puerta a puerta, saludando a sus vecinos diciendo "¡truco o trato!", a cambio de dulces.Going door to door, they greet their neighbors by saying "Trick or treat!" in exchange for candy.This sentence describes the custom of going door to door and greeting neighbors with truco o trato to receive sweets.Tatoeba #10493034 by DJ_Saidez, translation #10471471 by Hybrid
- Los niños gritaron "¡truco o trato!" en la calle.The children shouted "trick or treat!" in the street.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Children are knocking on a neighbor's door on Halloween night.
- Alejandro¡Truco o trato!Trick or treat!
- Elena¡Claro que sí! Aquí tienen algunos dulces.Of course! Here are some candies for you.
- Alejandro¡Muchas gracias, señora!Thank you very much, ma'am!
- ElenaDe nada, ¡que se diviertan mucho!You're welcome, have a lot of fun!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trick or treat” translations and entries truco o trato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
