truco o trato
/ˌtɾuko o ˈtɾato/
The English phrase "trick or treat" can be 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 a request for candy tied to an unstated, light-hearted threat.
What does it mean word for word?
The word truco literally means a trick, stunt or prank.
Which one should you use?
The phrase has a few variations. treta o trato and dulce o trato are also used.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌtɾuko o ˈtɾato/
When do people say it?
While truco o trato is a direct translation of the English tradition, it is primarily used in Spanish-speaking countries that celebrate Halloween in a Westernized manner.
Did you know?
- The word trato comes from the verb tratar, which can mean 'to treat' but also 'to negotiate' or 'to handle'.
- In many Spanish-speaking regions, Halloween traditions are still secondary to 'Día de los Muertos', meaning you might hear more about 'ofrendas' than 'trucos'.
- The word dulce in the variation dulce o trato is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'dulcet', both descending from the Latin 'dulcem'.
Examples in context
- “¡Truco o Trato!”.Trick or treat.This example shows the phrase used as a direct exclamation.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 illustrates the practice of going door to door and saying truco o trato to neighbors to receive candy.Tatoeba #10493034 by DJ_Saidez, translation #10471471 by Hybrid
- Los niños gritan "¡truco o trato!" en la calle.The children shout "trick or treat!" in the street.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two children are trick-or-treating at a neighbor's house.
- Sofía¡Truco o trato, señor!Trick or treat, sir!
- Alejandro¡Oh! Tengo dulces para ustedes.Oh! I have candy for you two.
- Sofía¡Muchas gracias por los dulces!Thank you very much for the candy!
- AlejandroDe nada, que tengan una feliz noche.You're welcome, have a happy night.
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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dulce, o, trato, treta, truco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
