machen vs tun
German word comparison
Listen to machen
Listen to tun
| machen | tun |
|---|---|
MAH-chen verb | /tuːn/ verb |
| to do; to make | to do (general, often colloquial) |
How they differ
Tun overlaps with machen for general actions but is more colloquial and less commonly used to mean 'create' or 'produce' something concrete; tun emphasizes the action itself rather than the result or the process of making.
When to use each
When to use machen: Prefer machen for everyday phrases and when emphasising creating or producing something (e.g., 'eine Aufgabe machen', 'Essen machen').
When to use tun: Prefer tun in spoken, informal contexts when you mean 'do' in a very general sense (e.g., 'Was tust du gerade?').
Side-by-side examples
- Was machst du gerade?
(What are you doing right now?) - Was tust du gerade?
(What are you doing right now?)
Register & nuance: Tun is more colloquial and common in spoken German; machen is neutral and fits both spoken and written contexts.