machst du
The phrase do you in German is translated as machst du.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tust du to mean do you when referring to performing an action. However, machst du is the standard way to express this in German.
Did you know?
- There is a specific social ritual called Duzen which describes the process of two people agreeing to switch from the formal Sie to the informal du.
- The word du is a direct relative of the archaic English word 'thou'. Both descend from the same Proto-Germanic root *þū.
- If a German speaker uses du with someone they are arguing with, they may be doing it intentionally to 'demote' the other person and strip them of their respect.
Examples in context
- Wie machst du das?How do you do that?This sentence is useful for asking how someone performs a specific action with the phrase machst du.Tatoeba #705609 by Manfredo, translation #631144 by ulyssemc1
- Was machst du hier?What do you do here?This sentence is useful for asking what someone does in a specific location with the phrase machst du.Tatoeba #528265 by kroko, translation #2647333 by CK
- Machst du das gern?Do you like doing this?This sentence is useful for asking if someone enjoys an activity with the phrase machst du.Tatoeba #8482863 by Luiaard, translation #3738482 by CK
- 131 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are talking about their weekend plans.
- JulianMachst du heute Abend etwas?Are you doing something tonight?
- LauraNein, ich habe noch keine Pläne.No, I don't have any plans yet.
- JulianWillst du ins Kino gehen?Do you want to go to the cinema?
- LauraJa, das mache ich sehr gerne!Yes, I would love to do that!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries du, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
