machen VS tun? | When do you use which? 🧐
Machen and tun both translate as "to do", but in most cases you cannot swap them. This lesson shows when to use machen and when to use tun, with example sentences for every case: two separable verbs with tun, five fixed expressions and a colloquial bonus phrase. The quick rule comes first: machen is far more common, so if you are not sure, use machen.
machen vs. tun: The Short Answer
| machen | tun | |
|---|---|---|
| Best translation | to make, to do | to do |
| How common | Very common | Much less common |
| Typical use | An action, task or activity, or creating something. Usually with a direct object (Akkusativ). | Mostly in two separable verbs (wehtun, leidtun) and in fixed expressions. |
| Example | Ich mache einen Kaffee. | Mein Bein tut weh. |
When to Use machen
Machen means doing an action, a task or an activity, or creating something. When you create or do something, there is a direct object, so machen almost always comes with an accusative object.
- Jeden Morgen mache ich einen Kaffee. Every morning I make a coffee. (einen Kaffee is the accusative object.)
- Können Sie bitte ein Foto machen? Can you take a picture, please? You can add von uns: Können Sie bitte ein Foto von uns machen?
- Nächstes Jahr macht Rita vier Wochen Urlaub. Next year Rita is taking four weeks of vacation.
- Ich mache jeden Montag zwei Stunden Sport. I do sports for two hours every Monday.
- Tom hat die Prüfung nicht bestanden, weil er zu viele Fehler gemacht hat. Tom did not pass the exam because he made too many mistakes.
- Du sprichst so gut Deutsch. Wie machst du das? You speak German so well. How do you do that?
Wie machst du das? works as a fixed question. Use it whenever somebody does something very well and you want to know how.
Useful combinations from these examples: einen Kaffee machen, ein Foto machen, Urlaub machen, Sport machen, Fehler machen.
tun in Separable Verbs: wehtun and leidtun
wehtun (to hurt)
- Mein Bein tut weh. My leg hurts. Plural: Meine Beine tun weh.
- Mein Finger tut weh. Meine Finger tun weh. One body part takes tut, two or more take tun.
- Du tust mir weh. You are hurting me. This can be physical or emotional pain.
- Habe ich dir wehgetan? Did I hurt you?
- Hast du dir wehgetan? Did you hurt yourself?
- Wenn dein Rücken wehtut, solltest du ein paar Schritte gehen. If your back hurts, you should take a few steps.
The past participle is wehgetan. Wehtun is also used reflexively: ich tue mir weh, du tust dir weh, er tut sich weh.
leidtun (to be sorry)
- Es tut ihm leid, dass er zu spät gekommen ist. He is sorry that he arrived late.
- Es tut mir leid. I am sorry. This is the most common and most useful one.
- Es tut mir leid, dass ich die Hausaufgaben vergessen habe. I am sorry that I forgot the homework.
The grammar is different from English. In "he is sorry", he is the subject. In German, es is the subject and the person is a dative object: ihm, mir. Leidtun is a dative verb.
Fixed Expressions with tun
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| viel / nichts zu tun haben | to be busy / to have nothing to do | Heute habe ich viel zu tun. Today I am busy. Heute habe ich nichts zu tun. Today I have nothing to do. |
| tun können für | can do for | Was kann ich für Sie tun? What can I do for you? You hear this in shops and restaurants. |
| nur so tun | to pretend | Hast du wirklich Schmerzen oder tust du nur so? Are you really in pain or are you just pretending? |
| zu tun haben mit | to have to do with | Das Thema hat nichts mit unserem Projekt zu tun. The topic has nothing to do with our project. Was hat das damit zu tun? What does this have to do with it? |
You can combine two of them into a full excuse: Es tut mir leid, ich habe die Hausaufgaben vergessen, weil ich gestern viel zu tun hatte.
Bonus: es mit jemandem zu tun bekommen
This phrase means "to get in trouble with somebody". It is colloquial, spoken German: Wenn du so weitermachst, bekommst du es mit mir zu tun. If you continue like this, you will have to deal with me.
Question of the Day
Du sprichst so gut Deutsch. Wie machst du das? What did you do to speak German well? Write your tip in a full German sentence.
What to Learn Next
Es tut mir leid uses the same dative pattern as Mir ist kalt. Read How to Express Feelings in German: Mir ist ... next. For more separable verbs like wehtun, see 50 Must-Know German Separable Verbs, and for another pair that learners mix up, antworten vs. beantworten.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between machen and tun?
Machen is the common verb for doing an action, task or activity or for creating something, usually with a direct object: Ich mache einen Kaffee. Tun is mostly used in the separable verbs wehtun and leidtun and in fixed expressions such as viel zu tun haben.
Which verb should I use if I am not sure?
Use machen. It is far more common than tun.
Is it es tut mir leid or es macht mir leid?
Es tut mir leid. The verb is leidtun. Es is the subject and the person is in the dative: mir, dir, ihm.
How do you say that something hurts in German?
Use wehtun: Mein Bein tut weh. For more than one body part use the plural: Meine Beine tun weh.
What does nur so tun mean?
It means to pretend: Hast du wirklich keine Zeit oder tust du nur so? You use it when you do not fully believe the other person.
Want to stop guessing between verbs like machen and tun? Our B1 German online course gives you the vocabulary and grammar step by step, with plenty of practice.
