German Working & Doing Vocabulary
This set covers the German verbs of getting things done: machen and tun for the basic do/make, erledigen for finishing a task off your list, and befassen for sitting down to deal with something properly. English speakers often collapse machen and tun into one verb, but German keeps them apart in fixed phrases, so machen Sie das and tun Sie das are not always interchangeable.</intro> <parameter name="tips">Several of these verbs share the ge- prefix pattern (gelingen, genügen, gebrauchen) and behave like separate little idioms rather than direct English translations, so drill them in their typical sentence frame instead of alone: Das Buch enthält, Die Zeit genügt, Es ist mir gelungen. Notice too that erfüllen, ergänzen, and erhöhen all attach to a following noun in a fixed way (eine Aufgabe erfüllen, eine Liste ergänzen, den Preis erhöhen), so learn each verb with its usual object rather than as an isolated infinitive. Group erledigen, fortsetzen, and feststellen together as your "getting through work" cluster and practice them in short task-report sentences like Ich habe die Arbeit erledigt or Wir setzen das Projekt fort.
Learn these 22 words
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All 22 words
- machenA1
make, do
Was machst du heute Abend? — What are you doing this evening?
- tunA1
do, make
Ich habe noch etwas zu tun. — I still have something to do.
receive
Wir können mit unserem Fernseher über 30 Programme empfangen. — We can receive over 30 channels with our television.
contain
Diese Schokolade enthält nur sehr wenig Zucker. — This chocolate contains only very little sugar.
require, demand
Dieser Job erfordert viel Kraft. — This job requires a lot of strength.
- erfüllenB1
fulfill, complete
Sie müssen den Vertrag in allen Punkten erfüllen. — You must fulfill the contract in all respects.
- ergänzenB1
supplement, complete
Ergänzen Sie bitte die fehlenden Angaben. — Please supplement the missing information.
- erhaltenB1
receive, get
Ihr Schreiben vom 3. Januar haben wir erhalten. — We received your letter from January 3rd.
- erhöhenB1
raise, increase
Die Regierung wird sicher bald wieder die Steuern erhöhen. — The government will surely raise taxes again soon.
complete, handle
Diese zwei Pakete müssen zur Post. Könntest du das für mich erledigen? — These two packages need to go to the post office. Could you handle that for me?
to establish, notice
Er hat festgestellt, dass der Absender des Briefes falsch war. — He established that the sender of the letter was wrong.
continue
Wir setzen die Behandlung am nächsten Donnerstag um 11 Uhr fort. — We continue the treatment next Thursday at 11 o'clock.
- führenB1
lead
Der Lehrer führt seine Schüler durch das Museum. — The teacher leads his students through the museum.
work, function
Können Sie mir bitte mal zeigen, wie der Automat funktioniert? — Can you please show me how the machine works?
- fütternB1
feed
Es ist im Zoo nicht erlaubt, die Tiere zu füttern. — It is not allowed to feed the animals at the zoo.
to use
Wir können diese Möbel gut gebrauchen. — We can use these furniture well.
- gelingenB1
to succeed
Es ist mir gelungen, meinen Chef zu überzeugen. — I succeeded in convincing my boss.
- genügenB1
to suffice, be enough
Wie viele Zimmer brauchen Sie? – Mir genügt eine 2-Zimmer-Wohnung. — How many rooms do you need? – A 2-room apartment is enough for me.
to find out
Hast du schon herausgefunden, wann und wo man sich für den Kurs anmelden muss? — Have you found out when and where you need to register for the course?
to leave behind
Möchten Sie eine Nachricht hinterlassen? — Would you like to leave a message?
- befassenB2
to deal with
Ich befasse mich mit diesem Thema intensiv. — I deal with this topic intensively.
to browse / comb through
Ich durchstöbere die alten Dateien nach Informationen. — I browse through the old files for information.
How to learn this set
Learn the nouns together with their article — working & doing words are far easier to recall as "der Apfel" than as a bare noun. Work through the set in short daily rounds rather than one long session: the flashcards below space each word out over days, which is what moves it into long-term memory.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between machen and tun in German?
Both mean do/make and overlap in many sentences, but machen is far more common in fixed expressions (Hausaufgaben machen, Urlaub machen) while tun shows up in set phrases like das tut mir leid or weh tun. When in doubt with everyday tasks, machen is the safer default.
What is the difference between erhalten and empfangen?
Erhalten is the general, everyday word for receiving anything, from a letter to a raise. Empfangen is more formal or physical, used for receiving guests, a signal, or a broadcast.
Is erledigen the same as machen?
Not quite. Erledigen means to finish or take care of a task completely, so etwas erledigen implies it's now off your list. Machen just means to do or make it, without that sense of closure.
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