raten
to guess
To make an assumption about something without knowing the answer for sure.
EXAMPLE
Ich weiß die Antwort nicht, ich kann nur raten.
I don't know the answer; I can only guess.
raten
to guess / advise
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Meanings
raten
to advise
To give someone a recommendation or advice about what they should do.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt hat mir geraten, mehr Sport zu treiben.
The doctor advised me to exercise more.
Usage tips
Context clue
The meaning of 'raten' (to guess / advise) depends strongly on the sentence structure. If the verb stands alone or with an accusative object, it means 'vermuten' (to guess/assume). However, if it is followed by a person in the dative, it means 'empfehlen' (to recommend/advise).
EXAMPLE
Rate mal, wen ich heute getroffen habe!
Guess who I met today!
Word family
The verb 'raten' (to guess / advise) is the root of the nouns 'der Rat' and 'der Ratschlag'. Both mean 'recommendation/advice' and help you remember the second meaning of the verb.
EXAMPLE
Mein Vater gab mir den guten Rat, immer ehrlich zu sein.
My father gave me the good advice to always be honest.
Typical collocations
When 'raten' means 'vermuten' (to guess/assume), it is often used in fixed expressions. Examples are 'richtig oder falsch raten' (to guess right or wrong), 'ins Blaue raten' (to make a blind guess), or in the prompt 'Rate mal!' (Guess!).
EXAMPLE
Er wusste die Antwort nicht und hat einfach nur ins Blaue geraten.
He didn't know the answer and simply made a blind guess.
Sentence structure with dative
When you give someone advice, the person is always in the dative. The recommendation itself often follows as a subordinate clause with 'dass' or as an infinitive construction with 'zu'.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe ihm geraten, sich für den Job zu bewerben.
I advised him to apply for the job.
Compare with
raten vs empfehlen
to recommend
Both words can express advice about a specific decision. Empfehlen explicitly presents the chosen option as good, while raten more strongly refers to personal advice about what to do or to a warning. For a positive choice, empfehlen is more appropriate; for practical advice, raten is more appropriate.
raten
Ich rate dir, das Hotel früh zu buchen, weil es im Sommer schnell voll wird.
I advise you to book the hotel early because it fills up quickly in the summer.
empfehlen
Ich empfehle dir dieses Hotel, weil es ruhig und sauber ist.
I recommend this hotel because it is quiet and clean.
In real life
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