erraten
Translation
to guess correctly, to guess, to solve
Examples
Kannst du mein Alter erraten?
Can you guess my age?
Er hat die richtige Antwort erraten.
He guessed the correct answer.
Errate, was ich in der Hand habe!
Guess what I have in my hand!
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to guess (sth.) Can you guess the riddle?
((who/what/how...)) to guess (who/what/how...) Guess who is coming!
Similar Words
Synonyms: vermuten (to suspect), schätzen (to estimate, guess)
Etymology
The prefix 'er-' signifies achievement, combined with 'raten' (to guess). So, it literally means 'to achieve a guess', i.e., to guess correctly.
Memory Tips
Think of 'raten' as the action of guessing, and 'erraten' as the successful result of that action. The 'er-' makes it a success.