I was walking down the stairs after buying lunch from the cafe when I heard two students chatting on their way up. One of them said:

• “I treat you because every time you treat me.”

I perfectly understood what they meant. It’s just the Malaysian way of saying that you’ll give someone a treat. However, the word “treat” is quite incorrectly used in that sentence.

• treat (v.) = give medical care
• treat (v.) = pay for someone’s meal

Examples:

1. Let me treat you. (X) – quite incorrect
2. Let me treat you to a nice meal. (√) - take note of the word “to”
3. Let me give you a treat. (√)

However, if you’re a doctor attending to a patient, it’s correct to say:

• The doctor is busy treating so many patients today. (√)
• He’s being treated for cancer. (√)
• Dr. Wong treats his patients without drugs. (√)

Well, confusing huh? What the heck, just say: “Let’s go Dutch.”