After we sent out our lesson on verbs containing raten as a root, one of our subscribers asked for a more specific clarification of the difference between raten and erraten, which are both often translated as "to guess." The difference is actually quite subtle. 

banner6 PLACEHOLDER

The verb raten simply means "to guess," and it doesn't matter how likely the person is to know the correct answer. 

Rate mal, was das für eine Blüte ist.

Guess what kind of flower that is.

Caption 18, Deutsch mit Eylin: Mein Bücherregal und Präpositionen

 Play Caption

Wer kann raten, was da drin ist?

Who can guess what's in here?

Caption 6, Peppa Wutz: Einkaufen und mehr

 Play Caption

Bei dem Spiel „Teekesselchen“ stellt man ein Wort vor, mit verschiedenen Bedeutungen, und die anderen Spieler müssen raten.

In the game "Teapot," you present a word with various meanings, and the other players have to guess.

Captions 14-16, Teekesselchen: Wörter mit mehreren Bedeutungen

 Play Caption

The verb erraten has this meaning as well, but it may imply guessing the correct answer. So, sometimes its meaning is not just "to guess," but "to guess correctly."

Könnt ihr erraten, in welchem Land ich mich befinde?

Can you guess which country I'm in?

Caption 3, Yabla reist durch Europa: Genua und Portofino

 Play Caption

Ziel des Spiels ist es, zu erraten, wohin die Maus läuft.

The object of the game is to guess where the mouse will run to.

Caption 5, Mittelalterlicher Markt: Mäuseroulette

 Play Caption

You might also see raten or zu etwas raten in its other meaning of "to advise" or "to suggest." You will not see erraten used in this sense. Note that raten in this context is a verb that is followed by the dative case.

Experten raten im Gegensatz zum Gesetzgeber zu mindestens vier Millimeter.

In contrast to legislators, experts advise at least four millimeters.

Caption 25, Winterreifen: Wenn der erste Schnee naht

 Play Caption

Auch für dieses Verb rate ich dir, die Konjugation auswendig zu lernen.

For this verb, too, I advise you to memorize the conjugation.

Captions 38-39, Deutsch mit Eylin: Machen vs. tun

 Play Caption

Further Learning
Practice using raten ("to advise"), raten ("to guess"), and erraten ("to guess correctly") with help from examples you find on Yabla German.