tun
/tuːn/
The German verb for 'do' is tun.
tun is used to describe performing tasks or actions. It is often used in the idiomatic phrase etwas zu tun haben, which means 'to have something to do' and is a common way to express that someone is busy.
Meaning: perform tasks (verb)
Which one should you use?
While tun means 'to do', the word machen is much more frequently used in everyday German for both 'to do' and 'to make'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past (Präteritum) form of tun is tat, and the past participle is getan.
How do you pronounce it?
/tuːn/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using tun as a generic auxiliary verb in colloquial speech, such as saying ich tue essen to mean 'I am eating'. This is considered poor style or grammatically incorrect in standard German. You should use the actual verb instead.
Did you know?
- The phrase das tut mir leid expresses regret or sympathy, using tun to describe the 'doing' of sorrow.
- The English word 'do' and the German verb tun are linguistic cousins, both descending from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to put or set'.
- In some German dialects, particularly in the south, tun is used as an auxiliary verb to create a progressive tense, similar to 'I am doing' in English.
Examples in context
- Er hat zu tun.He has things to do.This sentence shows how to use tun to express having tasks to perform.Tatoeba #1270437 by Esperantostern, translation #11718573 by Nuel
- Was will er tun?What does he want to do?This sentence shows how to use tun to ask about a desired action.Tatoeba #1020192 by al_ex_an_der, translation #294309 by CK
- Tun sie das oft?Do they do that often?This sentence shows how to use tun to ask about the frequency of an action.Tatoeba #1470358 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2731050 by raggione
- 3308 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are talking about their weekend plans.
- JuliaHast du heute viel zu tun, Maximilian?Do you have a lot to do today, Maximilian?
- MaximilianNein, ich will heute gar nichts tun.No, I don't want to do anything today.
- JuliaDas klingt gut. Was wirst du tun?That sounds good. What will you do?
- MaximilianIch werde einfach nur entspannen.I will just relax.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tun, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tun, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
