ráða

From Old Norse ráða, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną.

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ráða (third person singular past indicative raddi, third person plural past indicative raddu, supine rátt)

1. to advise
2. to decide

From Old Norse ráða, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“reason, count”). Cognate with English read, Low German raden, Dutch raden, German raten, Swedish råda, Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌳𐌰𐌽 (garēdan). The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós), Old Irish immrádim, Old Church Slavonic радити (raditi).

• IPA^(key): /ˈrauːða/

  Rhymes: -auːða

ráða (strong verb, third-person singular past indicative réð, third-person plural past indicative réðu, supine ráðið)

1. (with accusative) to employ, to hire

   Hún ræður alltaf vini sína.

   She always employs her friends.

   Ég mætti bara brosandi og ég var ráðinn á staðnum.

   I just showed up smiling and I was hired on the spot.

2. (with accusative) to solve

   Geturðu ráðið þessar gátur?

   Can you solve these riddles?

3. (with accusative) to read

   Hann réð rúnirnar.

   He read the runes

4. (with dative) to command, control, be in control of

   Hver ræður hér í raun og veru?

   Who is really in charge here?

5. (ditransitive, with dative and accusative) to advise (someone to do something)

   Afi minn réð mér alltaf heilt.

   My grandfather always gave me good advice.

6. (with dative) to decide

   Ég læt þig ráða.

   I'll let you decide.

• ráðast
• það verður að ráðast (it will have to take its course)

From Proto-Germanic *rēdaną, from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ-.

ráða (singular past indicative réð, plural past indicative réðu, past participle ráðinn)

1. (ditransitive, with dative and accusative) to advise, counsel (someone to do something)
2. (transitive, with dative) to consult about, discuss
3. (with dative) to devise, plan
4. (with dative) to agree on

   réðu þeir þat þá með sér

   they settled this among themselves

5. (with accusative) to fix, resolve

   hefi áðr ráðit brúðlaup mitt

   I have fixed my wedding day

6. (with accusative) to hire, take into service

   bóndi sagði húsfreyju, at hann hafði Hrapp ráðit með sér

   the partisan told his wife that he had taken Hrapp into his company

7. (with dative) to rule (over), govern

   Einarr jarl réð þá Orkneyjum

   Earl Einarr ruled the Orkneys

8. (with dative) to rule, command, have one's way with, prevail, decide, settle
9. (with dative) to have, possess, be master of, enjoy
10. (with dative) to explain, read, interpret
11. (with accusative) to read and understand (e.g. runes)

• ᚱᛅᚦᛅ (raþa) — infinitive, Runic form
• ᚱᛅᚦᚱ (raþr) — second/third singular present indicative, Runic form
• ᚱᛁᚦ (riþ), ᚱᛆᛁᚦ (raiþ) — first/third singular past indicative, Runic form
• ᚱᛅᚦᛁ (raþi), ᚱᚮᚦᛁ (roþi) — third singular present subjunctive, Runic form
• ᚱᛅᚦ (raþ) — second singular imperative, Runic form

• Icelandic: ráða
• Faroese: ráða
• Norwegian Nynorsk: rå, råda
• Old Swedish: rāþa
  • Swedish: råda
• Danish: råde
  • Norwegian Bokmål: råde, rå

• ráða in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, G. T. Zoëga, Clarendon Press, 1910, at Internet Archive.