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Questions & Answers about Ich mache Pause.
Why is there no article before Pause in the sentence Ich mache Pause?
In this idiomatic expression, Pause is used without an article because German often omits the article in fixed phrases. Although Pause is a feminine noun (normally die Pause), the expression Pause machen has become an established way to say “to take a break.” The omission of the article makes the phrase more concise and colloquial.
What does the verb mache mean in this context?
Mache is the first-person singular form of the verb machen, which literally means “to do” or “to make.” In the context of Ich mache Pause, it is best understood as “to take” in the sense of “taking a break.” So the sentence translates to “I take a break” or “I am taking a break.”
Is Ich mache Pause equivalent to the English expression “I’m taking a break”?
Yes, it is. The sentence Ich mache Pause is a direct and idiomatic way in German to express that you are taking a break. While the literal translation might be “I make break,” the idiomatic meaning is the same as “I’m taking a break.”
Can I also say Ich mache eine Pause? If so, is there any difference?
You can say Ich mache eine Pause, and it is grammatically correct. However, the version without the article (Ich mache Pause) is more common in everyday spoken German. Including eine makes the sentence slightly more formal or explicit but both forms are understood to mean “I’m taking a break.”
What is the grammatical structure of Ich mache Pause?
The sentence follows the typical Subject-Verb-Object order in German. Ich is the subject (meaning “I”), mache is the conjugated verb in the first-person singular (“make/do”), and Pause is the object (referring to “break”). This straightforward structure is common in German declarative sentences.
Are there other similar expressions in German that use machen without an article?
Yes, there are several idiomatic expressions where machen is used without an article. For example, Ich mache Feierabend means “I’m finishing work” (literally “I make evening quitting”), and Wir machen Urlaub means “We’re on holiday” (literally “We make vacation”). These expressions have become standardized, so the omission of the article is part of their idiomatic usage.