Em 15 segundos
- Use it for lights, electronics, and small fires.
- It is a separable verb; 'aus' goes to the end.
- Essential for the German habit of saving energy.
Significado
This is the most common way to say 'turn off' in German. You use it for anything with a switch, like lights, the TV, or even the stove.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Leaving the room
Ich mache das Licht aus.
I am turning the light off.
Asking a roommate
Kannst du bitte die Musik ausmachen?
Can you please turn the music off?
In a formal meeting
Bitte machen Sie Ihre Handys aus.
Please turn off your mobile phones.
Contexto cultural
The 'Licht aus!' culture is strong. Leaving lights on in empty rooms is seen as wasteful and environmentally irresponsible. In Austria, 'abdrehen' is a very common regional alternative to 'ausmachen', especially for things involving liquids or gas. Swiss German speakers use 'ausmachen' but often with a distinct accent (lösche/abstelle). They share the German value of energy efficiency. With the rise of 'Digital Detox', 'Handy ausmachen' has become a common phrase in social settings to encourage face-to-face interaction.
The 'Switch' Rule
If it has a power button or a flame, 'ausmachen' is your best friend.
Separable Verb Trap
Always remember to kick the 'aus' to the very end of the sentence. Don't let it sit next to 'mache'!
Em 15 segundos
- Use it for lights, electronics, and small fires.
- It is a separable verb; 'aus' goes to the end.
- Essential for the German habit of saving energy.
What It Means
ausmachen is your best friend for daily life. It simply means to turn something off. It is the verbal equivalent of hitting the 'power' button. You will hear it constantly in German homes and offices. It covers everything from a tiny lamp to a giant machine.
How To Use It
This is a separable verb. This means the aus part likes to travel. In a normal sentence, aus goes to the very end. You say: Ich mache das Licht aus. It feels like you are wrapping the sentence around the object. If you use a helper verb like können, it stays together: Kannst du das ausmachen?
When To Use It
Use it whenever you finish using an electronic device. Use it when you leave a room to save power. It also works for fire. If you blow out a candle, you machst die Kerze aus. It is perfect for bedtime, leaving the office, or stopping a noisy radio.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for closing things. If you close a book or a door, use zumachen. Even though they both mean 'closing' a circuit or a door, they are different. Also, do not use it for 'extinguishing' a massive forest fire. That usually requires the more formal word löschen.
Cultural Background
Germans are very serious about energy efficiency. It is a point of national pride. Leaving a light on in an empty room is a minor social sin. You might hear a roommate or parent shout Licht aus! as a reminder. It is part of the 'Energiewende' or green energy mindset.
Common Variations
You might also hear ausschalten. This is basically the same thing but sounds more technical. Think of ausmachen as 'flipping the switch' and ausschalten as 'powering down the system'. In casual slang, ausmachen can also mean 'to matter' (e.g., Das macht nichts aus), but stick to 'turn off' for now!
Notas de uso
This is a neutral, everyday verb. The main 'gotcha' is its separable nature—always put 'aus' at the end of the clause.
The 'Switch' Rule
If it has a power button or a flame, 'ausmachen' is your best friend.
Separable Verb Trap
Always remember to kick the 'aus' to the very end of the sentence. Don't let it sit next to 'mache'!
Politeness Hack
Use 'Macht es Ihnen etwas aus...' to sound instantly more polite and fluent in German.
Energy Saving
In Germany, turning off the lights isn't just a habit; it's a social statement about being a responsible citizen.
Exemplos
6Ich mache das Licht aus.
I am turning the light off.
A standard daily statement. Notice 'aus' at the end.
Kannst du bitte die Musik ausmachen?
Can you please turn the music off?
Using 'können' keeps the verb together at the end.
Bitte machen Sie Ihre Handys aus.
Please turn off your mobile phones.
A polite request in a professional setting.
Hast du den Herd ausgemacht?
Did you turn the stove off?
The past tense form is 'ausgemacht'.
Kann man dich auch ausmachen?
Can one turn you off too?
A joke used when someone is talking too much.
Soll ich die Kerzen ausmachen?
Should I blow out the candles?
Used here for extinguishing a flame.
Teste-se
Fill in the correct form of 'ausmachen' in the present tense.
Ich ______ das Licht ______.
In a simple sentence, the verb 'machen' is conjugated in the second position, and the prefix 'aus' goes to the end.
Which sentence is correct?
You want to ask your friend to turn off the TV.
'Schließen' and 'zu' are for doors/windows. 'Aus' is for electronics.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Macht es dir etwas ______, wenn ich das Radio ______? B: Nein, kein Problem.
The first 'aus' is part of the idiom 'etwas ausmachen' (to bother), and the second is the verb 'ausmachen' (to turn off).
Match the object with the correct verb.
1. Die Tür, 2. Das Licht, 3. Das Fenster, 4. Der Herd
Doors and windows are 'closed' (zumachen), while lights and stoves are 'turned off' (ausmachen).
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Ausmachen vs. Zumachen
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosIch ______ das Licht ______.
In a simple sentence, the verb 'machen' is conjugated in the second position, and the prefix 'aus' goes to the end.
You want to ask your friend to turn off the TV.
'Schließen' and 'zu' are for doors/windows. 'Aus' is for electronics.
A: Macht es dir etwas ______, wenn ich das Radio ______? B: Nein, kein Problem.
The first 'aus' is part of the idiom 'etwas ausmachen' (to bother), and the second is the verb 'ausmachen' (to turn off).
Combine cada item a esquerda com seu par a direita:
Doors and windows are 'closed' (zumachen), while lights and stoves are 'turned off' (ausmachen).
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
12 perguntasYes, it is the standard way to say 'put out a cigarette'. Example: 'Mach bitte die Zigarette aus.'
'Ausmachen' is more general and common in daily life. 'Ausschalten' is slightly more formal and technical, often used for computers or machines.
No! For a door, you must use 'zumachen' or 'schließen'.
You use the Perfekt tense: 'Ich habe es ausgemacht.'
No, it does not mean kissing. It means to turn off, to bother, or to arrange.
Yes, though they may also use 'abstelle' or 'lösche' in Swiss German dialects.
In very specific, dark slang, it can mean to 'finish someone off,' but you should never use it this way in normal conversation.
Use the phrase: 'Macht es dir etwas aus?'
It still goes to the end. 'Machst du das Licht aus?'
Yes, 'Computer ausmachen' is very common, though 'herunterfahren' (shut down) is more precise.
The opposite is 'anmachen' (to turn on).
Yes, 'einen Termin ausmachen' means to agree on an appointment.
Frases relacionadas
anmachen
contrastTo turn on
ausschalten
synonymTo switch off
abdrehen
similarTo turn off (by turning a knob)
löschen
specialized formTo extinguish / delete
zumachen
contrastTo close
