weitermachen

Weitermachen is a German verb formed from weiter, meaning “further” or “on,” and machen, meaning “to do.” It is a separable prefix verb, so in present tense the prefix is separated: Wir machen weiter. The word denotes continuing an activity after a pause or continuing to persist with a task, project or course of action.

Forms and usage

In the perfect tense, the participle is weitergemacht, as in Wir haben weitergemacht. The future tense is formed with werden: Wir werden weitermachen. The phrase is commonly used for resuming work, study, sports, or any ongoing effort after an interruption. It can imply perseverance or simply the practical act of not stopping.

Substantiv forms

The verb can be nominalized as das Weitermachen, referring to the act of continuing or the process of carrying on. The noun is typically capitalized as a standard German noun.

Meaning and nuance

Weitermachen conveys persistence and determination, but it can also be a neutral description of continuing an activity. It is often used in everyday speech to motivate oneself or others, e.g., “Wir müssen jetzt weitermachen,” meaning “We have to keep going now.”

Synonyms and related terms

Common synonyms include fortsetzen, fortfahren, weiterführen. Related phrases include weiterarbeiten (to continue working) and weitergehen (to continue walking or proceeding).

Usage notes

Weitermachen is widely understood in German-speaking contexts and appears in both spoken and written language. It is suitable for describing ongoing actions after breaks, setbacks, or delays.