to reveal / betray
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to reveal
To disclose a secret or confidential information even though one should keep it to oneself.
Wer hat dir verraten, dass ich eine Überraschungsparty für dich plane?
Who revealed to you that I am planning a surprise party for you?
The verb 'verraten' (to reveal/betray) is inseparable. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'raten' in all tenses and sentence constructions.
Er hat mir das Ende des Films verraten.
He revealed the ending of the film to me.
When both a person and a piece of information are mentioned, 'verraten' (to reveal/tell) follows a fixed pattern: the person to whom something is revealed is in the dative, and the information is in the accusative.
Bitte verrate meinem Bruder (Dativ) die Überraschung (Akkusativ) nicht!
Please don't reveal the surprise (accusative) to my brother (dative)!
In this meaning, the subject is often not a person acting intentionally, but a nonverbal signal or a detail. It is about something becoming visible unintentionally.
Sein nervöses Lächeln verriet, dass er nicht die Wahrheit sagte.
His nervous smile revealed that he was not telling the truth.
In the meaning 'preisgeben' (to reveal/disclose), 'verraten' (to reveal) is often combined with information that should be secret. Typical phrases are: 'ein Geheimnis verraten' (to reveal a secret), 'einen Plan verraten' (to reveal a plan), 'den Standort verraten' (to reveal the location), or 'das Passwort verraten' (to reveal the password).
Er hat aus Versehen den geheimen Plan verraten.
He accidentally revealed the secret plan.
to show
'zeigen' and 'verraten' can both mean that something becomes visible or recognizable. 'zeigen' is neutral: someone or something makes a piece of information, a feeling, or proof clear. 'verraten' fits better when something was actually supposed to stay secret or becomes visible unintentionally. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with revealing something. As a guide: you 'zeigen' something openly and deliberately; you often 'verraten' a secret or something you did not mean to say.
Bitte verrate niemandem, was ich dir im Zug erzählt habe.
Please don't tell anyone what I told you on the train.
Der Bericht zeigt, dass die Kosten im letzten Jahr gestiegen sind.
The report shows that costs rose last year.