trattandosi

Trattandosi is the gerund of the reflexive verb trattarsi, meaning to concern oneself or to be about. In Italian, it is used with the preposition di to introduce the topic or subject of discussion. The phrase is commonly translated as “as this concerns,” “this being a matter of,” or more naturally “this is a … matter.” It serves to set the context for the following statement and signals formality.

Usage and style: Trattandosi di is a relatively formal, written construction found in journalism, legal writing, policy documents, and other official discourse. It is less frequent in casual speech, where simpler phrases such as per quanto riguarda questa questione or riguardo a questa questione are often preferred.

Grammar notes: The form is a non-finite gerund. The subject of the sentence is typically implicit or shared with the main clause. The construction usually appears at the beginning of a sentence to frame what follows, and the main clause can use indicative or other moods depending on meaning.

Examples:

- Trattandosi di una questione delicata, occorre procedere con cautela. (As this is a delicate matter, it is necessary to proceed with caution.)

- Trattandosi di una situazione economica difficile, la banca ha adottato misure preventive. (This being a difficult economic situation, the bank has adopted preventive measures.)

Notes: While versatile in formal Italian, trattiandosi di should be used with care in everyday language, where more direct introductory phrases are typically clearer.