01
machen
to do
To carry out an activity or perform an action. It is a very general verb for many kinds of activities.
example
Was machst du am Wochenende?
What are you doing on the weekend?
machen
to do / make
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Meanings
01 / 09
Usage tips
Typical collocations
For general activities, 'machen' (to do) is often combined with a noun. Common combinations are: Hausaufgaben machen (to do homework), eine Pause machen (to take a break), Sport machen (to do sports/exercise), einen Ausflug machen (to take a trip).
EXAMPLE
Lass uns am Nachmittag eine Pause machen.
Let's take a break in the afternoon.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of “to produce” or “to prepare,” 'machen' (to make) is often used for everyday things. Typical combinations are: das Essen machen (to make the food/meal), Kaffee machen (to make coffee), ein Foto machen (to take a photo), ein Feuer machen (to make a fire).
EXAMPLE
Wer macht heute das Abendessen?
Who is making dinner today?
Sentence pattern
To express that something causes a feeling or state, the structure 'etwas macht jemanden + Adjektiv' (something makes someone + adjective) is used. The person is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Diese Musik macht mich immer glücklich.
This music always makes me happy.
Register and style
The use of 'machen' (to do/make) in the sense of “to tidy up” or “to clean” (e.g., 'das Zimmer machen' — to clean/tidy the room) is very colloquial. In written language, you would more likely use 'sauber machen' (to clean) or 'aufräumen' (to tidy up).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du bitte schnell dein Zimmer machen?
Can you please quickly tidy your room?
Colloquial use
In the sense of “to amount to,” 'machen' (to make) is mainly used in spoken language for simple calculations or when paying. It sounds informal.
EXAMPLE
Zwei Kaffee und ein Stück Kuchen, das macht zusammen 8,50 Euro.
Two coffees and a piece of cake, that comes to 8.50 euros altogether.
Sentence structure with preposition
The expression 'sich Sorgen machen' (to worry) is reflexive and is used with the preposition 'um' and the accusative to say what you are worried about.
EXAMPLE
Ich mache mir Sorgen um meine kranke Großmutter.
I'm worried about my sick grandmother.
Fixed expression
'Sich auf den Weg machen' (to set off) is a fixed reflexive expression and means “to leave” or “to start.” It is often used to describe the beginning of a movement or journey.
EXAMPLE
Es wird dunkel, wir sollten uns auf den Weg nach Hause machen.
It's getting dark; we should set off for home.
Fixed expression
'Das macht nichts' (It doesn't matter) is a fixed, very common response to an apology. It signals that the situation is not a problem.
EXAMPLE
„Oh, ich habe dein Glas umgestoßen!“ – „Kein Problem, das macht nichts.“
“Oh, I knocked over your glass!” — “No problem, it doesn't matter.”
Reflexive use
The reflexive verb 'sich machen' (to develop) describes development or progress, often in a professional or personal context. It is usually accompanied by an adverb such as 'gut' (well) or 'schlecht' (badly).
EXAMPLE
Unser Sohn hat sich in der neuen Schule gut gemacht.
Our son has done well at the new school.
Compare with
machen vs tun
to do
'machen' and 'tun' can both mean, in a very general way, that someone is carrying out an action. That is why they are easy to confuse. In many questions, both are possible, for example 'Was machst du?' (What are you doing?) or 'Was tust du?' (What are you doing?). 'machen' is very common in everyday language and fits especially well with concrete activities. 'tun' often sounds more general or a bit more serious, and it also appears in many fixed expressions. As a simple guideline: for normal activities, 'machen' is usually the more natural choice.
machen
Heute mache ich zu Hause die Wäsche.
Today I’m doing the laundry at home.
tun
Nach dem Streit wusste sie nicht, was sie tun sollte.
After the argument, she didn’t know what she should do.
In real life
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