Breakdown of Il prezzo di questo cappotto è da trattare.
essere
to be
questo
this (masculine)
di
of, from
il cappotto
the coat
Questions & Answers about Il prezzo di questo cappotto è da trattare.
Why is da trattare translated as negotiable when trattare usually means to treat?
Why do we use da before the infinitive trattare here?
Using the preposition da followed by an infinitive verb expresses necessity, purpose, or function. When paired with the verb essere (in this sentence, è), the structure essere da + infinitive means that something needs to be or is to be done. Therefore, è da trattare means it is to be negotiated.
Does da trattare always have a passive meaning like to be negotiated?
Yes! When you use da + an infinitive to describe a noun or pronoun, it almost always translates with a passive meaning in English. Even though trattare is an active verb, in the phrase è da trattare, the price is receiving the action (it needs to be negotiated by the buyer and seller), rather than doing the action itself.
Could I just say Il prezzo è negoziabile instead?