01
der Rat
advice
A recommendation or suggestion about what someone should do in a particular situation.
example
Mein Vater hat mir den Rat gegeben, immer ehrlich zu sein.
My father gave me the advice to always be honest.
der Rat
advice / council
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 05
Usage tips
Word family: raten
'Der Rat' (advice/council) is the noun related to the verb 'raten'. But be careful: 'raten' can mean 'to give advice' or 'to guess something'. 'Der Rat' always refers to the meaning 'to give advice'.
EXAMPLE
Ich rate dir, das Angebot anzunehmen.
I advise you to accept the offer.
Two plural forms
This word has two different plural forms depending on the meaning. The plural of 'Rat' as a recommendation is 'die Ratschläge' (pieces of advice). The plural of 'Rat' as a council or committee is 'die Räte' (councils).
EXAMPLE
Er gab mir viele gute Ratschläge.
He gave me a lot of good advice.
Typical collocations
When 'Rat' (advice) is a recommendation, it is often used with these verbs: 'jemandem einen Rat geben' (to give someone advice), 'einen Rat befolgen' (to follow advice), 'jemanden um Rat fragen' (to ask someone for advice), or 'einen Rat brauchen' (to need advice).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe seinen Rat befolgt und mich für den Job beworben.
I followed his advice and applied for the job.
Context: politics & organization
In the meaning 'Gremium' (council/committee), 'Rat' is often found in official or political contexts. Examples are 'der Stadtrat' (city council), 'der Betriebsrat' (works council), or 'der Europäische Rat' (European Council).
EXAMPLE
Der Betriebsrat vertritt die Interessen der Mitarbeiter.
The works council represents the interests of the employees.
Fixed expression: zu Rate ziehen
The expression 'jemanden oder etwas zu Rate ziehen' means to consult an expert or a source of information. The construction is fixed and is often used in the perfect tense.
EXAMPLE
Für die Renovierung haben wir einen Architekten zu Rate gezogen.
For the renovation, we consulted an architect.
Fixed expression: keinen Rat wissen
The idiom 'sich keinen Rat mehr wissen' means that you have absolutely no idea what to do. The verb is reflexive, and the person is the subject.
EXAMPLE
Als das Auto mitten in der Nacht liegen blieb, wusste er sich keinen Rat mehr.
When the car broke down in the middle of the night, he was completely at a loss.
Compare with
Rat vs Hinweis
hint / notice
'der Rat' and 'der Hinweis' can both help when someone wants to know something or solve a problem. 'Rat' is more about what someone should do. So it is a recommendation for a decision or action. 'Hinweis' is often a piece of information, a tip, or a comment that draws attention to something. It does not have to say directly what you should do. Learners can easily confuse the words because both can be helpful. As a practical rule: Rat helps with a decision; Hinweis draws attention to something important.
Rat
Vor dem Vorstellungsgespräch bittet Max seine Schwester um Rat.
Before the job interview, Max asks his sister for advice.
Hinweis
Auf dem Formular steht ein wichtiger Hinweis zur Anmeldung.
There is an important note about registration on the form.
In real life
Loading video examples...