ratschlagen

Ratschlagen is a German verb meaning to advise or to confer, typically found in the fixed expression sich ratschlagen (mit jemandem), meaning to confer with someone about a course of action. In modern usage the verb is relatively rare and is considered formal or literary; more common alternatives in everyday speech are sich beraten, raten, or simply einen Rat geben.

The term is closely linked to the noun Ratschlag, which denotes a single piece of advice. The standard plural of Ratschlag is Ratschläge. While Ratschlagen as a plural noun is not typical in contemporary standard German, the verb form ratschlagen remains the usual way to express advising or consulting in its reflexive sense. The concept shares its semantic field with related expressions for guidance and decision-making, such as beraten (to advise) and rat geben.

Usage notes and examples:

- Er ratschlagen sich mit den Experten, bevor sie eine Entscheidung treffen. (He confers with the experts before making a decision.)

- In formeller or historischer Sprache kann ratschlagen auftreten, in der Alltagssprache wird es jedoch selten verwendet.

Etymology and relation:

Ratschlagen derives from the noun Ratschlag (advice) and the general pattern of German verbs formed from nouns with the -en ending. It sits among related terms for guidance, such as Beratung (counseling) and Empfehlung (recommendation).

See also: Ratschlag, Beratung, Empfehlung, Rat.