der  Ratschlag

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʁaʦˌʃlaːk/

🤔 What exactly is a 'Ratschlag'?

The German noun der Ratschlag (masculine, article 'der') means advice, counsel, or a suggestion given to someone to help them with a decision or problem. It's a form of support based on knowledge, experience, or opinion.

A Ratschlag can be solicited or unsolicited. It aims to influence an action or way of thinking.

🚨 Note: Although 'der Rat' (also masculine) is often used synonymously, 'Ratschlag' can more specifically refer to a single, concrete piece of advice, while 'Rat' can also mean counsel or advice in a more general sense.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Declension of 'der Ratschlag'

The noun 'Ratschlag' is masculine and follows strong declension patterns.

📝 Example Sentences

• Nominative: Der Ratschlag war sehr hilfreich. (The advice was very helpful.)
• Accusative: Ich brauche dringend einen guten Ratschlag. (I urgently need a good piece of advice.)
• Dative: Er folgte dem Ratschlag(e) seines Freundes. (He followed his friend's advice.)
• Genitive: Die Umsetzung des Ratschlages war schwierig. (The implementation of the advice was difficult.)
• Plural: Sie gab mir viele nützliche Ratschläge. (She gave me lots of useful pieces of advice.)

💡 How to use 'Ratschlag'

A 'Ratschlag' is typically used in situations where someone seeks or offers help with a decision or problem.

• Einen Ratschlag geben (To give advice): "Ich gebe dir einen Ratschlag: Sprich offen mit ihr." (I'll give you a piece of advice: Talk openly with her.)
• Einen Ratschlag bekommen/erhalten (To receive advice): "Ich habe von meiner Mutter einen guten Ratschlag bekommen." (I received good advice from my mother.)
• Um einen Ratschlag bitten/fragen (To ask for advice): "Kannst du mir einen Ratschlag geben?" (Can you give me some advice?)
• Einem Ratschlag folgen/befolgen (To follow advice): "Er hat meinen Ratschlag befolgt und Erfolg gehabt." (He followed my advice and was successful.)
• Einen Ratschlag ignorieren/in den Wind schlagen (To ignore advice / disregard advice - lit. 'throw it to the wind'): "Sie hat meinen Ratschlag leider ignoriert." (Unfortunately, she ignored my advice.)

Context: 'Ratschlag' is generally a neutral to positive word. However, a 'gut gemeinter Ratschlag' (well-intentioned advice) can sometimes be perceived as unwanted or inappropriate. Compared to 'der Tipp' (tip, often shorter, more practical) or 'die Empfehlung' (recommendation, often based on positive experience, e.g., for a product), 'Ratschlag' is often more personal and situation-specific.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

1. For the article 'der': Think of der Mann (the man) giving advice. He's a wise ol' guy, giving you der Ratschlag. Masculine person -> masculine article.
2. For the meaning 'advice': 'Rat' sounds like the English 'rat', but also means *counsel/advice*. The 'Schlag' part means *hit* or *strike*. Imagine the advice *hitting* you like a helpful insight or *striking* you as a good idea.

Picture der Rat-Schlag gently *hitting* you in the right direction.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Be careful: 'der Anschlag' sounds similar but means something completely different (attack, posting/notice).

😂 A Little Joke

Frage: Warum sollte man Ratschläge von Bleistiften annehmen?

Antwort: Weil sie immer auf den Punkt kommen!

(Question: Why should you take advice from pencils? Answer: Because they always get straight to the point!) 😉

📜 Poem about Advice (Ratschläge)

Manchmal im Leben, schwer und grau, (Sometimes in life, heavy and grey,)
sucht man nach Halt, weiß nicht genau, (You look for support, don't know the way,)
wohin der Weg nun führen soll, (Where the path should now lead,)
fühlt sich verloren, ärgerlich, toll. (Feeling lost, annoyed, indeed.)

Dann hilft vielleicht, ganz unverhofft, (Then maybe helps, quite unexpectedly,)
ein guter Ratschlag, ehrlich, oft (A good piece of advice, honestly, often,)
von einem Freund, mit gutem Sinn, (From a friend, with good sense within,)
zeigt er dir einen Neubeginn. (It shows you a new beginning.)

Doch hör gut zu, wähl weise aus, (But listen closely, choose wisely,)
nicht jeder Rat führt dich nach Haus. (Not every advice leads you home safely.)
Der beste Ratschlag, tief und klar, (The best advice, deep and clear,)
kommt oft aus dir, ist immer da. (Often comes from you, is always near.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich werde oft gegeben, manchmal erfragt, (I am often given, sometimes requested,)
mal bin ich willkommen, mal unerwartet gesagt. (Sometimes I'm welcome, sometimes unexpectedly suggested.)
Ich kann helfen, leiten, den Weg dir weisen, (I can help, guide, show you the way,)
doch manchmal will man mich lieber von sich weisen. (But sometimes people prefer to push me away.)

Was bin ich? (What am I?)

Lösung/Solution: Der Ratschlag (Advice)

🧩 More about 'Ratschlag'

Word Composition:

The word 'Ratschlag' is a compound noun, formed from:

• Rat (der): from Old High German 'rāt' (counsel, help, supply). Related to English 'read' in its old sense of 'interpret' or 'advise'.
• Schlag (der): from Old High German 'slag' (strike, blow, hit).

The meaning isn't derived literally from 'Schlag' as a blow, but rather figuratively as a 'suggestion', 'pointer', or something that proposes a direction or prompts an idea.

Interesting Note:

The plural 'Ratschläge' is commonly used for multiple pieces of advice. However, you can also say "Ich gebe dir einen Rat" (I'll give you some advice), which can imply multiple points or suggestions, using the singular 'Rat'. Using 'Ratschlag' in the singular (einen Ratschlag) often emphasizes a single, specific piece of advice.