raten
/ˈʁaːtn̩/
To guess in German is raten. Wiktionary also lists schätzen.
Meaning: to reach an unconfirmed conclusion (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| raten | /ˈʁaːtn̩/ /ˈʁaːtən/ |
| schätzen | /ˈʃɛtsn̩/ |
The verb is used to describe reaching an unconfirmed conclusion. If you are looking for a noun that means a prediction about the outcome of something, use Vermutung.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the imperative (giving a command), the form depends on who you are addressing. For the singular informal 'you', use rate. For the plural informal 'you' or the polite 'you', use raten.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʁaːtn̩/
Did you know?
- While raten means 'to guess', it is also the standard German word for 'to advise'.
- The verb schätzen is closely related to the German word for 'treasure', which is Schatz.
- When guessing a number or quantity, Germans use schätzen instead of raten.
Examples in context
- Raten Sie doch mal!Why don't you guess?This sentence uses raten to encourage someone to guess.Tatoeba #13565706 by Waldelfe, translation #2210748 by CK
- Nichts sagen! Laß mich raten!Don't tell me. Let me guess.This sentence uses raten when asking to be allowed to guess.Tatoeba #12486021 by Waldelfe, translation #2288995 by CK
- Raten Sie einfach mal drauf los!Take a wild guess.This sentence uses raten to suggest taking a wild guess.Tatoeba #1846534 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1845486 by CK
- Es ist schwer zu vermuten, was genau passiert ist.It's hard to guess what exactly happened.
- Der Wert des Gemäldes lässt sich schwer schätzen.The value of the painting is hard to estimate.
- Ich denke, er wird heute Abend kommenI guess he will come tonight
- Ich denke, er hat die Prüfung bestanden.I guess he passed the exam.
- Ich glaube, dass sie morgen Geburtstag hatI guess she has her birthday tomorrow
- Ich glaube, er wird sich über das Geschenk freuen.I guess he'll be happy with the gift.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are playing a game in a living room.
- JulianKannst du das Gewicht raten?Can you guess the weight?
- LauraIch rate mal, es ist fünf Kilo.I'll guess, it is five kilos.
- JulianDas war leider nicht richtig.That was unfortunately not correct.
- LauraDann muss ich noch einmal raten.Then I must guess again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guess” translations and entries raten, schätzen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries raten, schätzen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
