Breakdown of Ich habe die Aufgabe schon gemacht.
ich
I
machen
to make, to do
haben
to have
die Aufgabe
the task
schon
already
Questions & Answers about Ich habe die Aufgabe schon gemacht.
Why is gemacht at the very end of the sentence instead of right after habe?
In German, when you use a two-part verb for the past tense, the helper verb (habe) takes the second position in the sentence, but the past participle (gemacht) is pushed all the way to the very end. This creates a frame around the rest of the information.
How do we build the word gemacht from the dictionary verb machen?
Machen is a regular (or weak) verb. To form its past participle, you take the core stem of the verb (mach), add ge- to the beginning, and put a -t at the end. This gives you ge-mach-t.
Why doesn't the English translation say 'I have the task already made'?
While machen frequently translates to 'to make', it is also the standard German verb for 'to do'. In German, you 'make' a task (eine Aufgabe machen) rather than 'doing' it. Context tells you which English word sounds more natural.
Is die Aufgabe in the accusative case here?
Yes, it is the direct object receiving the action. Because Aufgabe is a feminine noun, its article (die) looks exactly the same in the accusative case as it does in the basic nominative (subject) case.
Learn Ich habe die Aufgabe schon gemacht and more in German
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free