maltratado
Lemma Details
Translation: mistreated; abused; ill-treated; battered; maltreated
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: Derived from the past participle of the verb 'maltratar', which comes from Latin 'male' (badly) + 'tractare' (to handle, treat). The English cognate 'maltreated' shares the same Latin roots. The prefix 'mal-' appears in many Spanish and English words to indicate something bad or wrong, while 'tratar' corresponds to English 'treat'.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Los muebles maltratados necesitaban restauración.
The damaged furniture needed restoration.
El perro maltratado fue rescatado por la protectora de animales.
The mistreated dog was rescued by the animal shelter.
Se sentía maltratado por sus compañeros de trabajo.
He felt mistreated by his coworkers.
Denunció haber sido maltratado durante el interrogatorio.
He reported being abused during the interrogation.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'mal' (bad) + 'tratado' (treated) = 'badly treated'
- Remember that 'mal' in Spanish often corresponds to 'ill' or 'bad' in English, as in 'maltreatment'
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
The term is frequently used in discussions about domestic violence and child abuse in Spanish-speaking countries. There has been increasing social awareness about 'maltrato' in recent decades, with campaigns against various forms of abuse becoming more prominent.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'maltratado' refers to someone who has been mistreated or abused, 'malcriado' refers to someone who is spoiled, ill-mannered, or poorly raised.
This word:
El niño maltratado necesitaba ayuda psicológica.
The abused child needed psychological help.
Confused word:
El niño malcriado no respeta a sus padres.
The spoiled child doesn't respect his parents.
Notes: Both words start with 'mal' (bad), but refer to different negative situations.
Mnemonic: 'Maltratado' has 'trat' like 'treatment', referring to how someone is treated; 'malcriado' has 'cri' like 'crianza' (upbringing), referring to how someone was raised.
Explanation: 'Maltratado' is the person who receives the abuse (passive), while 'maltratador' is the person who inflicts the abuse (active).
Confused word:
Su jefe era un maltratador conocido en la empresa.
His boss was a known abuser in the company.
Notes: These words are related but represent opposite roles in an abusive situation.
Mnemonic: '-ado' endings often indicate receiving an action, while '-ador' endings often indicate performing an action.