Before you start
Meet machen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 22 meanings
- (transitive) to make, to produce, to create (an object, arrangement, situation, etc.)
- (transitive) to make, prepare (food, drinks, etc.)
- (transitive, informal) to do, perform, carry out (an action) (to execute; to put into operation)
- (transitive) to do (a noun); indicates an activity associated with a noun
- (transitive) to go (a specified sound) (to make the sound)
- (transitive) to make, to cause [with accusative ‘someone/something’ and infinitive ‘(to) do something’; or with dass (+ clause) ‘something (to) happen’]
Forms
How machen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | mache | machte |
| du | machst | machtest |
| er/sie/es | macht | machte |
| wir | machen | machten |
| ihr | macht | machtet |
| Sie | machen | machten |
Partizip II gemacht · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich mache heute meine Hausaufgaben.I’m doing my homework today.present main clause
- 2Wir haben zusammen Musik gemacht.We made music together.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil ich heute mache, was ich kann.I’m staying home because I’m doing what I can today.verb at the end after weil
Verb family
Separable verbs built on machen
Add a prefix to machen and the meaning changes.