Machen vs Tun: German Verbs for "To Do" and "To Make"
Both machen and tun translate to "to do" or "to make" in English. While they are sometimes interchangeable in colloquial speech, standard German has strict rules and collocations specifying when to use machen and when to use tun.
The Main Differences
As a rule of thumb: machen implies creating, producing, or making something physical/concrete. Tun is more abstract and refers to activities, deeds, or actions.
| Verb | Primary Usage | Common Expressions |
|---|---|---|
| machen | Creating, manufacturing, producing something | Hausaufgaben machen (to do homework), Kaffee machen (make coffee) |
| machen | Making progress or causing a result | Spaß machen (to be fun), Sinn machen (to make sense) |
| tun | Abstract deeds, actions, or showing activity | Gutes tun (to do good), etwas tun (do something) |
| tun | Expressing pain or physical state | weh tun (to hurt), leid tun (to be sorry) |
Colloquial Usage
In spoken German, machen is increasingly replacing tun. However, tun remains dominant in fixed expressions like "Es tut mir leid" (I am sorry) or "Mein Kopf tut weh" (My head hurts).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are machen and tun interchangeable?▼
Rarely in formal German. Machen is for producing or making things (e.g. make a cake), while tun is for abstract actions or doing deeds.
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