Translation guide
How to express the idea of treating someone (to a meal, drink, etc.) or treating someone in a certain way in Japanese.
The speaker pays for someone else's meal, drink, or outing as a treat or invitation.
The most common verb for treating someone to a meal or drink. It implies the speaker will pay. Can be used casually among friends or in semi-formal situations.
今日は私がおごります。
I'll treat you today.
先輩にランチをおごってもらった。
My senior treated me to lunch.
A slightly more polite way to say 'treat someone to a meal.' Often used when inviting someone out and offering to pay. Can also be used to thank someone for a meal they provided.
今夜は私がごちそうします。
I'll treat you tonight.
ごちそうさまでした。
Thank you for the meal (I was treated).
Noun form meaning 'treat' (as in 'my treat'). Often used in casual speech.
今日は私のおごりだよ。
It's my treat today.
Kanji form of おごる, sometimes seen in writing. Same meaning but less common in casual writing.
今日は私が奢ります。
I'll treat you today.
Describing how one person behaves toward or deals with another person.
General verb for 'treat' or 'handle' a person. Can be used for both positive and negative treatment. Often used with adverbs like 大切に (carefully) or ぞんざいに (roughly).
彼は私を子供のように扱う。
He treats me like a child.
お客様を丁寧に扱ってください。
Please treat the customers politely.
Focuses on how one interacts with or relates to someone. Often used for interpersonal attitudes, such as being kind, cold, or fair.
Formal term for 'treat' in terms of reception, hospitality, or employment conditions. Often used in business or official contexts.
会社は従業員を公平に待遇しなければならない。
The company must treat its employees fairly.
Providing medical treatment or care to a person.
Standard verb for medical treatment. Used for doctors treating patients or for treating illnesses/injuries.
医者が患者を治療する。
The doctor treats the patient.
この病気は治療できますか？
Can this illness be treated?
Refers to first aid or immediate care, often for wounds. Less formal than 治療する.
看護師がけがの手当てをした。
The nurse treated the injury.
Both mean 'to treat someone to a meal/drink.' おごる is more casual and commonly used among friends. ごちそうする is slightly more polite and can be used in semi-formal invitations. ごちそうする also appears in the set phrase ごちそうさまでした to thank someone for a meal they provided.
友達にランチをおごった。
I treated my friend to lunch.
上司に夕食をごちそうした。
I treated my boss to dinner.
English 'treat someone' can mean many things. Do not use a single Japanese word for all meanings. For paying for someone, use おごる or ごちそうする. For behavior, use 扱う or 接する. For medical treatment, use 治療する. Using the wrong verb can cause confusion.
彼はいつも私を敬意を持って扱ってくれる。
He always treats me with respect.
医者は彼女の風邪を治療した。
The doctor treated her for a cold.
彼を治療した。
I treated him (medically).
彼におごった。
I treated him (to a meal).
彼女は誰にでも優しく接する。
She treats everyone kindly.
あの先生は生徒に厳しく接する。
That teacher treats students strictly.