21 December 2025
How to Say Machine in German - It’s Familiar, But Not
Whether you’re fixing your coffee maker, boarding a plane, or learning about robots, you’ll want to know how to say machine in German. It’s a high-frequency word with wide applications - from industrial work to household life.
The German word is die Maschine. It’s feminine, and the plural is die Maschinen. Unsure when to use die instead of der or das? My gender video lesson will help you get comfortable with article patterns.
Maschine is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it comes up often in casual speech, technical contexts, and even aviation.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:Die Maschine ist kaputt.The machine is broken.
Accusative:Wir reparieren die Maschine morgen.We’ll repair the machine tomorrow.
Dative:Ich arbeite gerade an der Maschine.I’m currently working on the machine.
Genitive:Die Teile der Maschine sind schwer zu finden.The parts of the machine are hard to find.
Where you’ll hear Maschine:
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Waschmaschine - washing machine
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Kaffeemaschine - coffee machine
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Schreibmaschine - typewriter
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Nähmaschine - sewing machine
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Triebwerk - aircraft engine (Maschine on its own often means the plane itself - see below)
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Maschinenbau - mechanical engineering
Common verbs: reparieren (repair), bedienen (operate), anstellen (start), stoppen (stop), bauen (build)Adjectives: automatisch, alt, modern, schnell, komplex, kaputt
Note: Maschine is also a common word for an airplane - you’ll hear it in airport announcements and the news, as in “Die Maschine startet in zehn Minuten.”
Beginner dialogue using Maschine:
A: Was ist los?B: Die Maschine funktioniert nicht mehr!A: What’s wrong?B: The machine doesn’t work anymore!
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Maschine.
“Welche Maschine benutzt du oft - und was macht sie?”What machine do you use often - and what does it do?
Say your answer out loud. The more personal your response, the better the word will stick.
German Word of the DayNow you know how to say machine in German - and how die Maschine appears in workspaces, kitchens, and hangars alike.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep growing your practical vocabulary every day.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Check out Material - and learn how to talk about resources, supplies, and substance.Or revisit Mauer - for insight into history, emotion, and boundaries.
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