21 December 2025
How do you say Advice or Council in German?
The German word for advice or council is der Rat.It can mean personal advice (like a helpful suggestion), or refer to a formal group like a city council or advisory board. The meaning is clear from context.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and appears constantly in casual talk, politics, business, and bureaucracy.
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Rat.Need help figuring out gender quickly? Our video lesson teaches you fast and reliable patterns.
Pronunciation:Rat is pronounced [raht]
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Use a long German a [aː]; American cot varies by accent and is only a rough comparison
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One syllable: RAHT
Example sentences
Danke für den guten Rat.Thanks for the good advice.
Er hat auf meinen Rat gehört.He followed my advice.
Der Rat der Stadt hat eine Entscheidung getroffen.The city council made a decision.
Nuance and usage tips
💬 When Rat means advice, it normally has no plural, but you can say ein Rat or einen Rat geben for a piece of advice.
🏛️ As council, it refers to official bodies like Stadtrat (city council), UN-Sicherheitsrat (UN Security Council), or Ältestenrat (elders’ council).
📚 The plural Räte can refer to councils, council members, or holders of certain official titles. For pieces of advice, use Ratschläge.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
“Ich brauche deinen Rat.”I need your advice.
“Der Rat hat das neue Gesetz genehmigt.”The council approved the new law.
“Sein Rat war wirklich hilfreich.”His advice was really helpful.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Lena: Ich weiß nicht, was ich tun soll.Tobi: Willst du meinen Rat hören?Lena: Ja, bitte.Tobi: Rede mit ihr - offen und ehrlich.
Translation:Lena: I don’t know what to do.Tobi: Want to hear my advice?Lena: Yes, please.Tobi: Talk to her - openly and honestly.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Rat war klug und hilfreich.The advice was wise and helpful.
Accusative:Ich habe seinen Rat angenommen.I took his advice.
Dative:Mit dem Rat konnte ich etwas anfangen.I could actually use that advice.
Genitive:Die Wirkung des Rats war spürbar.The impact of the advice was noticeable.
Other ways to say advice in German
Ratschlag (suggestion) is often used when you’re referring to a specific piece of advice. Hinweis (hint, tip) is helpful in instructional contexts. But Rat remains the go-to word for general advice or formal bodies.
Word variations and tidbits
You’ll see Rat in compound words like:
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Ratschlag - specific piece of advice
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Beratungsstelle - counseling center
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Stadtrat - city council
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Kulturrat - cultural advisory board
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Guter Rat ist teuer - “Good advice is expensive,” i.e., good advice is hard to come by (German proverb)
🧠 Fun fact: The German verb raten means “to advise” or “to guess” - so yes, the same word root covers both advice and guessing! And careful: English rat is a false friend - the animal is die Ratte.
📘 Duden entry for Rat:https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Rat🎥 Want expert-level advice for learning German? Our video course covers 1000 essential German nouns - complete with grammar and usage tips.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Rauch means? Sometimes, you need Rat when you see it.And what about Regel? A good Rat helps you follow it - or break it wisely.
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