traiter
/tʁɛ.te/
To treat in French is traiter.
The verb traiter is used to describe handling, dealing with or behaving towards someone or something in a specific way. In formal or academic contexts, you can use it to mean "to deal with" or "to cover" a specific subject, such as traiter un sujet. Additionally, if you use the construction traiter de followed by a noun, the meaning shifts to calling someone a name or insulting them, such as traiter de menteur (to call someone a liar). While traiter covers many types of handling, when you want to describe an indulgence or a small treat that brings joy, you might use the informal phrase petit plaisir.
Meaning: to handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
traiter is a regular -er verb.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tʁɛ.te/. It has two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using traiter when you mean to provide medical treatment to a patient or to treat a wound. In these medical contexts, the standard verb is soigner.
Did you know?
- The French verb traiter shares a common ancestor with the English word 'traction', as both stem from the Latin 'tractare' meaning 'to pull'.
- The word traité is the noun form of traiter and refers to a formal treaty between nations, treating the act of negotiation as a way of 'handling' a diplomatic issue.
- In French, traiter can be used to describe processing raw materials, such as 'treating' water or ore, which links the act of behaving toward a person to the industrial processing of minerals.
Examples in context
- Veuillez bien traiter le chat.Please treat the cat well.This sentence demonstrates how to use traiter regarding how one behaves toward an animal.Tatoeba #1790569 by sacredceltic, translation #1789299 by Spamster
- Je sais comment traiter une dame.I know how to treat a lady.This sentence shows the use of traiter in the context of behaving toward a person.Tatoeba #8315055 by Aiji, translation #2375951 by CK
- On essaie de traiter tout le monde pareil.We try to treat everybody the same.This sentence illustrates using traiter to describe treating people equally.Tatoeba #10498596 by lbdx, translation #10498227 by CK
- Veuillez suivre le traitement prescritPlease follow the prescribed treatment.
- Ce plat est un véritable régalThis dish is a real treat.
- Je m'accorde un petit plaisir tous les joursI treat myself to a small pleasure every day.
- Je veux lui faire plaisir en lui offrant ce cadeauI want to treat him/her by giving this gift.
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are discussing how their boss acts with the staff.
- EmmaComment ton patron traite ses employés ?How does your boss treat his employees?
- LucasIl ne sait pas comment nous traiter avec respect.He doesn't know how to treat us with respect.
- EmmaC'est vraiment dommage pour l'équipe.That is really a shame for the team.
- LucasOui, il devrait mieux nous traiter.Yes, he should treat us better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “treat” translations and entries traiter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries traiter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
