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
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Meanings
der Rat
council
A group of people that makes decisions, provides advice, or leads an organization as a committee, e.g. a city council.
EXAMPLE
Der Rat der Stadt hat über den neuen Bebauungsplan abgestimmt.
The city council voted on the new development plan.
zu Rate ziehen
to consult
To ask someone or something for advice or an expert opinion; to consult.
EXAMPLE
Bei komplizierten Steuerfragen sollte man einen Experten zu Rate ziehen.
For complicated tax questions, you should consult an expert.
sich keinen Rat mehr wissen
to be at a loss
To be completely at a loss and not know what to do next.
EXAMPLE
Nachdem alle Versuche gescheitert waren, wusste sie sich keinen Rat mehr.
After all attempts had failed, she was completely at a loss.
der Rat
counselor / adviser
An outdated or formal term for a person who acts as an adviser, often as part of a title.
EXAMPLE
Der König verließ sich auf seinen engsten Rat.
The king relied on his closest adviser.
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
Both words can help someone arrive at a solution or make a decision. Rat is usually a personal recommendation about what someone should do; Hinweis is more likely to provide information or a clue without directly recommending a particular decision. Use Rat for the recommendation and Hinweis for the helpful information.
Rat
Mein Bruder gab mir den Rat, vor der Prüfung jeden Tag zu lernen.
My brother advised me to study every day before the exam.
Hinweis
Ein Hinweis im Lernplan zeigte mir, dass ich vor der Prüfung jeden Tag üben sollte.
A note in the study plan showed me that I should practice every day before the exam.
In real life
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