to make clear / to sort out
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to make clear
To explain something to someone unambiguously or make it clear so that it is understood.
Der Trainer musste der Mannschaft klarmachen, dass sie disziplinierter spielen muss.
The coach had to make it clear to the team that they needed to play with more discipline.
to sort out
Colloquial for organizing, obtaining, or taking care of something.
Ich gehe schon mal vor und versuche, zwei gute Plätze klarzumachen.
I'll go ahead and try to sort out two good seats.
to realize
To become aware of something; to recognize or understand something.
Erst als ich die Rechnung sah, machte ich mir klar, wie teuer der Abend wirklich war.
Only when I saw the bill did I realize how expensive the evening really was.
to prepare a ship
In seafaring, to prepare a ship or boat for departure, for a maneuver, or for bad weather.
Vor dem Sturm befahl der Kapitän, das Schiff zum Auslaufen klarzumachen.
Before the storm, the captain ordered the ship to be prepared for departure.
'Klarmachen' (to make clear / to sort out) is a separable verb. The prefix 'klar-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Ich mache dir die Regeln klar.
I make the rules clear to you.
The verb is made up of the adjective 'klar' (clear) and the verb 'machen' (to make). The literal meaning 'etwas klar machen' (to make something clear) helps you understand the figurative meaning 'etwas verständlich machen' (to make something understandable).
Kannst du mir bitte klarmachen, was du genau meinst?
Can you please make clear to me what exactly you mean?
In the meaning 'erklären' (to explain), the verb almost always needs a person in the dative, to whom something is made clear, and a thing in the accusative.
Der Polizist machte dem Fahrer klar, dass er einen Fehler gemacht hatte.
The police officer made it clear to the driver that he had made a mistake.
The meaning 'organisieren' (to organize) or 'erledigen' (to take care of) is mainly used in colloquial language. In formal texts, you would use other verbs.
Warte hier, ich gehe schnell die Tickets klarmachen.
Wait here, I'm going to quickly sort out the tickets.
In the meaning 'erkennen' (to recognize) or 'einsehen' (to understand/admit), the verb is used reflexively with 'sich' in the dative: 'sich (dative) etwas (accusative) klarmachen' (to make oneself aware of something / to realize something).
Du musst dir klarmachen, dass diese Chance nicht wiederkommt.
You have to realize that this chance will not come again.
The meaning 'ein Schiff vorbereiten' (to prepare a ship) is technical language from seafaring. You hear it almost only in this context, for example in films or books about ships.
Die Mannschaft musste das Segelboot für den Sturm klarmachen.
The crew had to prepare the sailboat for the storm.
to explain / declare
Erklären and klarmachen can both make a situation understandable to someone. Klarmachen often sounds more emphatic and stresses that the other person should really understand it clearly and unambiguously. Use erklären for an objective explanation and klarmachen when the forceful effect is especially important.
Ich machte meinem Bruder deutlich klar, dass er die neuen Spielregeln beachten muss.
I made it very clear to my brother that he must follow the new game rules.
Ich erklärte meinem Bruder ruhig die neuen Spielregeln.
I calmly explained the new game rules to my brother.
