erraten
to guess
To find the correct answer to a question or riddle by guessing, assuming, or using intuition.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe ihr Alter auf Anhieb richtig erraten.
I guessed her age correctly right away.
erraten
to guess
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Meanings
erraten
to guess
To correctly interpret a person's thoughts, feelings, or intentions without them having stated them.
EXAMPLE
An ihrem Blick konnte er erraten, dass etwas nicht stimmte.
From her look, he could guess that something was wrong.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Erraten' (to guess) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'er-' always stays connected to the stem 'raten' (to guess / to advise). It often indicates that an action is successfully completed — so you have guessed successfully.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat das Passwort beim ersten Versuch erraten.
She guessed the password on the first try.
Use with the accusative
The verb 'erraten' (to guess) always requires an accusative object. You always guess 'etwas' (something).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mein Alter erraten?
Can you guess my age?
Typical collocations
In this meaning, 'erraten' is often used with riddles or secret information. Typical objects are: a riddle, a number, a word, a secret, or a gift.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder spielten ein Spiel, bei dem sie Tiergeräusche erraten mussten.
The children played a game in which they had to guess animal sounds.
Thoughts and feelings
When it comes to people, 'erraten' is often used to express that you understand nonverbal signals. For example, you can guess thoughts, wishes, or intentions.
EXAMPLE
Ich brauchte nichts zu sagen; sie hatte meine Wünsche bereits erraten.
I didn't need to say anything; she had already guessed my wishes.
Compare with
erraten vs raten
to guess / advise
Both verbs fit an unknown answer to a riddle. Raten refers only to the attempt and can be right or wrong, whereas erraten implies that you find the correct answer. Before the answer is revealed, raten is appropriate; for a successful solution, use erraten.
erraten
Mit dem letzten Hinweis konnte Mia die richtige Antwort erraten.
The last clue enabled Mia to guess the correct answer.
raten
Ich kann bei diesem Rätsel nur raten, weil mir ein wichtiger Hinweis fehlt.
I can only guess at this riddle because I am missing an important clue.
In real life
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