German Phrase
Wann machen wir die Garage sauber und räumen sie auf?
Meaning
The sentence asks for the time at which the speakers will clean the garage and put it in order. It combines two related actions—cleaning (making it clean) and tidying (putting things away).
When to use
Use this phrase when planning household chores, especially when you need to coordinate with a roommate, family member, or friend about when to tackle the garage together.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WannmachenwirdieGaragesauberundräumensieauf
Wann (question word)
Used to ask about time; it does not change with case or gender.
machen + Adjektiv (verb + adjective)
In German you can say 'etwas sauber machen' (to make something clean) as an alternative to 'etwas sauber halten'.
räumen + auf (separable verb)
The prefix 'auf' separates and moves to the end of the clause in main clauses.
Personal pronoun 'sie' (accusative)
Refers back to 'die Garage' and stands in the accusative case as the object of 'räumen'.
Verb order in questions
In a yes‑no or wh‑question the finite verb ('machen') comes directly after the question word.
🗨In Conversation
Wann machen wir die Garage sauber und räumen sie auf?
When will we clean the garage and tidy it up?
Wie wäre es am Samstagmorgen? Dann haben wir den ganzen Tag Zeit.
How about Saturday morning? Then we’ll have the whole day.
✕Common Mistakes
Wann machen wir die Garage sauber?
The usual order is 'sauber machen' or 'die Garage sauber machen'. Placing the adjective before the verb sounds unnatural.
Wann räumen wir die Garage auf sie?
With the separable verb 'aufräumen', the prefix must go to the end of the clause: 'räumen wir sie auf'.
Wann machen wir die Garage sauber und räumen auf?
Both verbs need their own objects; you cannot omit 'sie' after 'räumen' because the object is already mentioned earlier.
↔Alternatives
Wann putzen wir die Garage und räumen sie auf?
When will we clean the garage and put it away?
Zu welchem Zeitpunkt räumen wir die Garage auf und machen sie sauber?
At what time will we tidy the garage and make it clean?
Lass uns einen Termin ausmachen, um die Garage zu säubern und aufzuräumen.
Let's set a date to clean and tidy the garage.
Cultural Tip
In many German households, weekend mornings are the traditional slot for larger cleaning projects like the garage. It’s common to schedule such chores in advance and treat them as a joint activity, often accompanied by a coffee break or a small reward afterwards. Using the polite form 'wir' signals teamwork rather than a command, which fits the collaborative German approach to household tasks.