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How to Say ‘What are you doing here?’ in German

Was machen Sie hier?

vahs MAH-khen zee heer

[vahs MAH-khen zee heer]

💬 Usage Tip: machen covers both "do" and "make". Here it's asking what you do, like your job or studies.

Phrase Breakdown

Was machen

vahs MAH-khen

What do … do

'Was' sounds like 'vas'. The 'ch' in 'machen' is a throaty sound, like Scottish 'loch'.

Example

Was machen wir heute?

What are we doing today?

Words in this phrase

Was

[vahs]

what

Question word asking for information about an action or task.

Example

Was machen wir nach dem Soundcheck?

What are we doing after the soundcheck?

machen

[MAH-khen]

do / make

Verb 'machen' means 'to do' or 'to make'.

Example

Was machen wir zuerst beim Aufbau?

What do we do first during setup?

Sie hier?

zee heer

you (formal) here

'Sie' sounds like 'zee', and 'hier' like 'here'. Let your voice rise at the end of the question.

Example

Arbeiten Sie hier?

Do you work here?

Words in this phrase

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal 'you' used in polite professional conversations.

Example

Ich freue mich, Sie hier auf der Jobmesse zu sehen.

I am pleased to see you here at the job fair.

hier

[heer]

here

Refers to this place, such as the current event or location.

Example

Es ist gut, hier neue Leute kennenzulernen.

It is good to meet new people here.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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