Meaning
To pause briefly from an activity.
Cultural Background
The 'Kaffeepause' is a sacred office ritual. It's not just about caffeine; it's about 'Flurfunk' (office gossip) and social bonding. The 'Znüni' is a traditional mid-morning break, usually around 9:00 AM, where people eat a small snack like a croissant or fruit. Austrians might use the term 'Jause' for a break that involves a snack, often a hearty one with bread and cheese. Modern German startups often emphasize 'aktive Pausen' (active breaks) involving stretching or short walks to boost health.
The 'Päuschen' Trick
Add the diminutive '-chen' to make it sound extra cute and relaxed: 'Ein Päuschen machen'. This is very common among friends.
Don't say 'Take'
Even if you hear 'Pause nehmen' occasionally, stick to 'machen' to sound most natural and avoid 'Denglisch'.
Meaning
To pause briefly from an activity.
The 'Päuschen' Trick
Add the diminutive '-chen' to make it sound extra cute and relaxed: 'Ein Päuschen machen'. This is very common among friends.
Don't say 'Take'
Even if you hear 'Pause nehmen' occasionally, stick to 'machen' to sound most natural and avoid 'Denglisch'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing verb in the correct form.
Wir sind müde. Wir _______ eine kleine Pause.
In German, the standard collocation for taking a break is 'eine Pause machen'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the right option:
'Pause' is feminine, and in the accusative case, the article is 'eine' and the adjective ending is '-e'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Ich kann nicht mehr lernen.' B: '_________________?'
This is the most natural way to suggest a break to a friend.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are in a 3-hour meeting and everyone is losing focus.
This is the polite, professional way to suggest a hiatus.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesWir sind müde. Wir _______ eine kleine Pause.
In German, the standard collocation for taking a break is 'eine Pause machen'.
Select the right option:
'Pause' is feminine, and in the accusative case, the article is 'eine' and the adjective ending is '-e'.
A: 'Ich kann nicht mehr lernen.' B: '_________________?'
This is the most natural way to suggest a break to a friend.
You are in a 3-hour meeting and everyone is losing focus.
This is the polite, professional way to suggest a hiatus.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
14 questionsIt is technically understandable but considered an anglicism. Native speakers almost always use 'machen'.
No, you can use it for hiking, studying, driving, or even during a long conversation.
'Rast' is more old-fashioned and usually refers to a break during a journey or hike.
Usually between 5 and 15 minutes. Anything longer might just be a 'Pause' or a 'Mittagspause'.
Yes, in German you usually 'make a break', not just 'make break'.
It is neutral. You can say it to your boss or your best friend.
It's a specific type of 'kleine Pause' where you drink coffee and socialize.
Yes, if you stop running for a minute, you are 'making a small pause'.
The plural is 'Pausen'. 'Wir machen viele kleine Pausen.'
Yes, 'pausieren', but it's more often used for machines or processes than people.
Lass uns eine kleine Pause machen!
A very informal (and slightly crude) way to say 'bathroom break'.
Yes, they are interchangeable. 'Kurz' refers to time, 'klein' refers to the scale.
'Machen' is used for creating or performing an activity; 'tun' is more general and less common in collocations.
Related Phrases
Pause haben
similarTo be on a break
Pause einlegen
specialized formTo insert/schedule a break
durcharbeiten
contrastTo work through without a break
verschnaufen
synonymTo catch one's breath
