Behandeln

Behandeln is a German verb that covers several related actions. In medical contexts it means to treat or to provide care for a patient. In non-medical usage it can mean to address or deal with a topic, issue, or material, or to apply a procedure to something. The noun Behandlung is used for both medical treatment and the act of dealing with something.

Grammatical notes: Behandeln is a regular verb with the prefix be-. In the present tense the forms are: ich behandle, du behandelst, er behandelt, wir behandeln, ihr behandelt, sie behandeln. The simple past is formed as ich behandelte, du behandeltest, er behandelte, wir behandelten, ihr behandeltet, sie behandelten. The past participle is behandelt, and the auxiliary verb is haben. The related noun Behandlung is formed with the suffix -ung and means both “treatment” and “handling.”

Etymology and usage: The verb combines the prefix be- with handeln, a stem meaning to act, deal with, or operate. This gives a general sense of performing an action toward someone or something. Behandeln is widely used across domains: medical care (eine Krankheit behandeln), clinical procedures (eine Wunde behandeln), and nonmedical contexts (ein Thema behandeln, ein Problem behandeln). In technical or everyday language it can also mean to process or treat materials or data (etwas behandeln).

Examples: Der Arzt behandelt den Patienten. Das Kapitel behandelt das Thema Umweltpolitik. Die Maschine behandelt das Metall mit einem Schutzüberzug. Neue Behandlungen verbessern die Prognose vieler Erkrankungen, während beim Diskurs das Thema sorgfältig behandelt wird.