der  Rat

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁaːt/

🤔 What does "der Rat" actually mean?

The German word der Rat has two primary meanings that need to be distinguished:

1. Advice / Counsel: This is the most common meaning in everyday life. When someone gives you einen Rat (advice), they are giving you a recommendation or tip on what you should do.

   • Example: "Kannst du mir einen guten Rat geben?" (Can you give me some good advice?)
   • In this sense, the plural is often formed as "die Ratschläge", although "die Rate" is grammatically possible but unusual.

2. Council / Committee / Board: Here, der Rat refers to a group of people who make decisions or deliberate, e.g., a city council (Stadtrat), supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat), or works council (Betriebsrat).

   • Example: "Der Rat der Stadt hat gestern getagt." (The city council met yesterday.)
   • The plural here is always "die Räte".

🚨 Attention: Although both meanings use the article "der", they differ in their common plural forms!

📐 Grammar of "der Rat" in Detail

The noun der Rat is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

Declension Singular

*The forms with "-e" in the Dative and Genitive singular (Rate, Rates) are less common and often sound more formal or old-fashioned.

Declension Plural

The plural forms differ depending on the meaning:

(The plural "die Rate" for advice is rare.)

💡 Example Sentences for Clarity

• Meaning 'advice': "Ich danke dir für deinen wertvollen Rat."
  (I thank you for your valuable advice.)
• Meaning 'advice': "Gute Ratschläge sind Gold wert."
  (Good pieces of advice are worth their weight in gold.)
• Meaning 'council': "Der Europäische Rat trifft sich in Brüssel."
  (The European Council meets in Brussels.)
• Meaning 'council': "Die neu gewählten Räte nehmen ihre Arbeit auf."
  (The newly elected councils/council members are starting their work.)

💬 How to Use "der Rat"?

The usage of der Rat heavily depends on its meaning:

Rat as Advice

• Context: Personal conversations, advice columns/books, requests for help.
• Typical phrases:
  • jemandem einen Rat geben (to give someone advice): "Er gab mir den Rat, vorsichtiger zu sein." (He gave me the advice to be more careful.)
  • um Rat fragen/bitten (to ask for advice): "Sie fragte ihren Freund um Rat." (She asked her friend for advice.)
  • einen Rat befolgen (to follow advice): "Ich habe deinen Rat befolgt." (I followed your advice.)
  • guter/schlechter Rat (good/bad advice): "Das war ein wirklich guter Rat!" (That was really good advice!)
  • Rat suchen (to seek advice): "Bei Problemen sollte man professionellen Rat suchen." (One should seek professional advice for problems.)
  • Saying: "Guter Rat ist teuer." (Good advice is expensive / hard to come by.)
• Distinction: Don't confuse it with die Rate (e.g., payment installment) or das Rad (wheel).

Rat as Council

• Context: Politics, administration, business (companies).
• Typical phrases:
  • der Rat tagt/trifft sich (the council meets): "Der Betriebsrat tagt jeden Montag." (The works council meets every Monday.)
  • Mitglied im Rat sein (to be a member of the council): "Sie ist Mitglied im wissenschaftlichen Rat." (She is a member of the scientific advisory board.)
  • Beschluss des Rates (decision of the council): "Der Beschluss des Rates wurde veröffentlicht." (The council's decision was published.)
  • Specific Councils: Stadtrat (city council), Gemeinderat (municipal council), Bundesrat (Federal Council), Aufsichtsrat (supervisory board), Verwaltungsrat (administrative board), Europarat (Council of Europe), Sicherheitsrat (Security Council, UN).

⚠️ Always pay attention to the context to understand the correct meaning!

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Rat"

Remembering the Article 'der'

Imagine a wise old man (masculine -> der) giving you good Rat (advice) or sitting on the city Rat (council). Der Mann gives den Rat.

Remembering the Two Meanings

A Rat (council) often gives Rat (advice). Think of the Rathaus (city hall): the Stadtrat (city council) sits there and perhaps also gives Rat (advice) to the citizens.

Remembering the Plural Forms

Many different pieces of advice feel like multiple 'hits' or 'strikes' - think Ratschläge (Schläge means hits/strikes). But the people on the council are the Räte (sounds a bit like the 'elite' who sit on councils).

🔄 Synonyms, Antonyms & Similar Words

⚠️ Potential for Confusion

• das Rad: Has a different article and means 'wheel'. "Das Auto hat vier Räder." (The car has four wheels.)
• die Rate: Has a different article and means 'installment' or 'rate'. "Ich zahle das Auto in Raten ab." (I pay for the car in installments.) / "Die Inflationsrate steigt." (The inflation rate is rising.)
• raten: The verb means 'to advise' or 'to guess'. "Ich rate dir, vorsichtig zu sein." (I advise you to be careful.) / "Kannst du die Antwort raten?" (Can you guess the answer?)

😂 A Little Joke

Auf Deutsch:

Fragt ein Ratsmitglied das andere: "Hast du einen guten Rat für mich, wie ich die nächste Abstimmung überstehe?"

Antwortet das andere: "Klar! Rate mal, wer dagegen stimmen wird, und stimme dafür!" 😉

English Translation:

One council member asks another: "Do you have any good advice (guten Rat) for me on how to survive the next vote?"

The other replies: "Sure! Guess (Rate mal) who will vote against it, and vote for it!" 😉

📜 A Poem about Rat

Auf Deutsch:

Ein guter Rat, zur rechten Zeit,
Vertreibt so manche Schwierigkeit.
Ob weise Worte, klar und schlicht,
Oft ändern sie die ganze Sicht.

Auch tagt der Rat im hohen Haus,
Und trifft Beschlüsse, tagein, tagaus.
Für Stadt und Land, für Wohl und Weh,
Ein wichtig Gremium, wie man seh'.

English Translation:

Good advice (Rat), at the right time,
Dispels many a difficulty's climb.
Whether wise words, clear and plain,
Often they change the whole domain (of view).

Also meets the council (der Rat) in the tall house,
And makes decisions, day in, day out, no douse.
For city and country, for weal and woe,
An important body, as you know.

🧩 Little Riddle

Auf Deutsch:

Ich habe keinen Mund, doch spreche ich zu dir.
Ich habe keine Hände, doch leite ich dich hier.
Manchmal bin ich teuer, manchmal ganz umsonst.
Manchmal sitz ich im Rathaus, als wichtiger Post'.

Was bin ich?
... Der Rat

English Translation:

I have no mouth, yet I speak to you.
I have no hands, yet I guide you through.
Sometimes I am expensive, sometimes completely free.
Sometimes I sit in the city hall, an important entity.

What am I?
... Rat (Advice / Council)

📌 Additional Information

• Word Compounds: The word "Rat" is part of many German words:
  • Rathaus: City hall (building where the city council sits).
  • Ratsherr / Ratsfrau / Ratsmitglied: Council member (male/female/neutral).
  • beraten: Verb meaning both 'to give advice' and 'to deliberate in a committee'.
  • Ratschlag: Another word for 'piece of advice'.
  • Vorrat: Etymologically unrelated to 'Rat', means 'supply, stock'.
• Etymology: The word 'Rat' comes from the Old High German word 'rāt', which could mean 'means of subsistence', 'supply', 'help', 'advice', as well as 'advisory assembly'.