eine Prüfung machen
To take an exam
Literally: an exam make/do
Use this phrase for any situation where you are being tested for a grade or license.
In 15 Seconds
- Used for taking any academic, professional, or skill-based test.
- Combines the noun 'Prüfung' with the versatile verb 'machen'.
- Avoid using 'nehmen'; 'machen' is the only correct everyday choice.
Meaning
This phrase is the standard way to say you are sitting for a test or taking an exam to get a grade or qualification.
Key Examples
3 of 7Talking to a classmate
Ich muss morgen eine schwere Prüfung machen.
I have to take a difficult exam tomorrow.
Job interview context
Ich habe letztes Jahr meine Meisterprüfung gemacht.
I took my master craftsman exam last year.
Texting a friend
Keine Zeit heute, mache gerade eine Prüfung!
No time today, taking an exam right now!
Cultural Background
Germany has a high-stakes testing culture where official certificates (Zeugnisse) are required for almost every profession. This has led to the common concept of 'Prüfungsangst' (exam anxiety), which is widely discussed and sympathized with in society.
The 'Nehmen' Trap
Never say 'eine Prüfung nehmen'. It's a direct translation from English that sounds very wrong to German ears.
Prüfungsangst is Real
If someone tells you they are making an exam, it's polite to say 'Viel Glück!' (Good luck) or 'Daumen drücken!' (Fingers crossed).
In 15 Seconds
- Used for taking any academic, professional, or skill-based test.
- Combines the noun 'Prüfung' with the versatile verb 'machen'.
- Avoid using 'nehmen'; 'machen' is the only correct everyday choice.
What It Means
Imagine you are sitting in a quiet room. You have a pen, a paper, and a racing heart. That is the moment you eine Prüfung machen. It literally means "to make an exam," but we use it to say you are taking one. It covers the whole process of sitting there and answering questions. It’s the bread and butter of student life in Germany. Whether it’s for a math degree or a yoga certificate, this is your go-to phrase.
How To Use It
Using this phrase is as easy as making a sandwich. You just take the verb machen and conjugate it. If you are doing it right now, say Ich mache eine Prüfung. If you did it yesterday, say Ich habe eine Prüfung gemacht. It’s a "collocation," which is a fancy way of saying these words are best friends. They almost always hang out together. You can add adjectives too, like eine schwere Prüfung machen (to take a hard exam). Just remember to keep Prüfung feminine—it's always die Prüfung.
When To Use It
You’ll hear this everywhere in German daily life. Use it when talking about school, university, or your driving test. If you are at a language school learning German, you will definitely eine Prüfung machen at the end of the level. It’s perfect for casual chats with friends or even in a job interview. If you’re texting a friend about why you can’t go out, just type: Kann nicht, muss Prüfung machen. They will immediately understand your pain.
When NOT To Use It
Be careful! Don't use this at the doctor's office. If a doctor is checking your heart, that’s an Untersuchung, not a Prüfung. Also, if you are the teacher, you don't machen the exam. You geben (give) or abnehmen (administer) it. Another trap is the English word "take." Never say eine Prüfung nehmen. That sounds like you are physically stealing the paper from the desk! Stick to machen and you’ll be safe.
Cultural Background
Germany is famous for its love of certificates. We call this "Zertifikatswut" or certificate mania. To get almost any job, you need to eine Prüfung machen. Even for things like fishing or hunting, there are serious exams. Because of this, Prüfungsangst (exam anxiety) is a very common word. Everyone has a story about a scary examiner or a lucky guess. It’s a shared cultural trauma that brings people together over a beer afterward.
Common Variations
If you want to sound a bit more sophisticated, you can use eine Prüfung ablegen. This is the formal version you’ll see in official documents. If the exam is specifically a written one, Germans often say eine Prüfung schreiben. It sounds more specific. And of course, the most important variations are the results: eine Prüfung bestehen (to pass) or the dreaded durch eine Prüfung fallen (to fail). Hopefully, you’ll only need the first one!
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral and versatile. Use it for any level of testing, but switch to 'ablegen' for formal documents or 'schreiben' for specific written tests.
The 'Nehmen' Trap
Never say 'eine Prüfung nehmen'. It's a direct translation from English that sounds very wrong to German ears.
Prüfungsangst is Real
If someone tells you they are making an exam, it's polite to say 'Viel Glück!' (Good luck) or 'Daumen drücken!' (Fingers crossed).
Written vs. Oral
If it's a written test, you can also say 'eine Prüfung schreiben'. It makes you sound like a local student!
Examples
7Ich muss morgen eine schwere Prüfung machen.
I have to take a difficult exam tomorrow.
A very common everyday way to express upcoming academic stress.
Ich habe letztes Jahr meine Meisterprüfung gemacht.
I took my master craftsman exam last year.
Shows the phrase is appropriate for professional history.
Keine Zeit heute, mache gerade eine Prüfung!
No time today, taking an exam right now!
Shortened for a quick text message.
Wann machen Sie Ihre Deutschprüfung?
When are you taking your German exam?
Polite use of the phrase with the formal 'Sie'.
Ich mache eine Prüfung im Pizzatesten.
I'm taking an exam in pizza testing.
Using the structure for a joke about a non-academic activity.
Ich habe totale Angst, diese Prüfung zu machen.
I'm totally scared of taking this exam.
Focuses on the emotional weight of the event.
Er hat endlich seine Fahrprüfung gemacht.
He finally took his driving test.
Specific use for the practical driving exam.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct verb to complete the phrase.
Ich werde nächste Woche meine B1-___.
In German, you 'make' an exam, you don't 'take' (nehmen) or 'do' (tun) it in this specific context.
Complete the sentence with the correct past tense form.
Hast du gestern die ___?
When asking about the past, use the Perfekt tense: 'haben' + 'gemacht'.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of Taking an Exam
Used with friends or texting.
Prüfung machen
Standard everyday German.
eine Prüfung machen
Official documents or academic speech.
eine Prüfung ablegen
Where to use 'eine Prüfung machen'
University
Klausur machen
Driving School
Fahrprüfung machen
Language School
Goethe-Prüfung machen
Job Training
Abschlussprüfung machen
Frequently Asked Questions
11 questionsNo, in this context, it means you are the one answering the questions. If you were creating it, you would use erstellen.
Yes, though for small quizzes, Germans might just say einen Test schreiben.
Absolutely. It is a neutral phrase that works in both professional and casual settings.
machen is the everyday version, while ablegen is more formal and used in official contexts like eine Prüfung erfolgreich ablegen.
You would say Ich bin durch die Prüfung gefallen. You don't use 'machen' for the result, only the action.
No, for medical tests use eine Untersuchung machen or sich untersuchen lassen.
It is always eine Prüfung because the noun is feminine (die Prüfung).
You say Ich habe die Prüfung bestanden. This is the most satisfying sentence in the German language!
Yes, if the exam is written. It is very common among university students to say Ich schreibe morgen eine Klausur.
It is a high-level exam for craftsmen to become a 'Master' in their trade, a very important cultural milestone in Germany.
Not exactly slang, but students often say eine Prüfung verhauen if they think they did a terrible job on it.
Related Phrases
eine Prüfung bestehen
to pass an exam
durch eine Prüfung fallen
to fail an exam
eine Prüfung ablegen
to sit/take an exam (formal)
Prüfungsangst haben
to have exam anxiety
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