raten
advise · guess
Etwas vermuten oder eine Lösung versuchen, ohne es sicher zu wissen.
Definition & meaning
The German verb raten has two primary meanings depending on the context:
- To guess: To attempt to give the correct answer to a question or to estimate a value without having certain knowledge.
- To advise or counsel: To give someone a recommendation, suggestion, or professional opinion on what course of action they should take.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is a strong verb. Its conjugation is: raten (infinitive), riet (simple past), geraten (past participle). It often takes the dative case when used in the sense of "giving advice" to someone (Ich rate dir...).
- Word origin: It stems from the Old High German rātan, which originally meant both "to counsel" and "to provide for/prepare." It is etymologically related to the idea of interpreting signs or finding a solution.
Synonyms & antonyms
For the meaning "to guess":
For the meaning "to advise":
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Examples
Sie raten ihm zu einer Pause.verb
They advise him to take a break.
Rate mal, wer heute Geburtstag hat!verb
Guess who has a birthday today!
Wir raten dir zu einer Pause.verb
We advise you to take a break.
Kannst du raten, wie viel das kostet?verb
Can you guess how much that costs?
Peter kann gut raten und findet oft Lösungen.verb
Peter can guess well and often finds solutions.
Mia möchte etwas raten und denkt lange nach.verb
Mia wants to guess something and thinks for a long time.
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