Deutsch · A2 · verb · 4 minutes
Machen in the perfect
Use haben + gemacht for completed regular activities.
Understand the choice
Machen is a model for the weak-verb perfect. The participle is stable, the finite auxiliary changes by subject, and other sentence material fits between them.
Core rule: Regular non-separable machen forms the participle with ge- + stem + -t: gemacht, and uses haben.
Notice it in context
Was habt ihr am Wochenende gemacht?
What did you do at the weekend?
Habt follows question word was; gemacht closes after the weekend phrase.
Ich habe eine Pause gemacht.
I took a break.
Habe…gemacht surrounds the fixed phrase eine Pause machen.
Sie hat gestern ihre Hausaufgaben gemacht.
She did her homework yesterday.
Hat is singular auxiliary; Hausaufgaben sit before final gemacht.
What to remember
- Weak participles typically end -t, not -en.
- Verbs ending -ieren do not add ge-: studiert, reserviert.
Common trap: Do not form gemachen. The weak participle is gemacht.