German · Home, Clothes & Daily Life
"What are you doing?" in German: Was machst du?
Was machst du?
What are you doing in German is Was machst du? Formal: Was machen Sie?. Softer: Was machst du gerade?
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How to pronounce Was machst du?
Say it
vass makhst doo
/vas ˈmaxtst duː/
vass makhst doo. Machst with soft ch; du unstressed.
"What are you doing?" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Was machst du? | what are you doing? Informal default. | Informal default. |
| Was machst du gerade? | what are you doing right now? Right now. | Right now. |
| Was machen Sie? | what are you doing? Formal. | Formal. |
| Was treibst du? | what are you up to? Colloquial. | Colloquial. |
How to use Was machst du? in real life
- 1Phone call
Hallo — Was machst du?
Hi — what are you doing?
Opener.
- 2Walking in
Hey, Was machst du da am Laptop?
Hey, what are you doing there on the laptop?
In person.
- 3Weekend text
Sonnabend: Was machst du so?
Saturday: what are you up to?
Plans.
Mistakes English speakers make with Was machst du?
Incorrect: Was du machst?
Correct: Was machst du?
Verb-second: machst before du.
Incorrect: Was bist du machend?
Correct: Was machst du?
No continuous -ing form; present covers it.
Good to know
Was machst du? is both activity and life check-in. Among friends it can mean what are you up to tonight? without naming an object.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Calling a flatmate
ChatPal
Bist du zu Hause?
Are you home?
You
Ja — Was machst du?
Yes — what are you doing?
ChatPal
Nudeln. Komm runter?
Pasta. Coming down?
You
Gleich. Was machst du noch außer Kochen?
Soon. What else are you doing besides cooking?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What are you doing?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What are you doing?" in German
How do you say what are you doing?
Was machst du?
Formal version?
Was machen Sie?
Right now?
Was machst du gerade?
What are you up to?
Was treibst du? or Was machst du so?
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
