German Phrase
Wir machen viele Sportarten.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that ‘we’ take part in a large variety of sports. It stresses the breadth of activities rather than a single sport.
When to use
Use this phrase when describing a sports club, a group of friends, or a class that tries out many different sports, especially in casual conversation or a short presentation about your hobbies.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WirmachenvieleSportarten
Wir (pronoun)
First‑person plural pronoun, always used with a plural verb form.
machen (verb)
Verb ‘to do/make’; with activities like sports it means ‘to do’ or ‘to engage in’.
viele (quantifier)
Indefinite adjective meaning ‘many’; it takes the strong ending –e in the accusative plural.
Sportarten (noun)
Plural of ‘Sportart’; a feminine noun that stays the same in nominative and accusative plural.
🗨In Conversation
Was macht ihr am Wochenende?
What are you doing this weekend?
Wir machen viele Sportarten.
We’re doing many sports.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir machen vielen Sportarten.
‘vielen’ is the dative form; the sentence needs accusative, so ‘viele’ is correct.
Wir machen viele Sport.
While ‘machen’ is acceptable, many learners over‑use it; ‘treiben’ or ‘betreiben’ are more idiomatic for regular sport activity.
Wir machen viele Sportart.
‘Sportarten’ is plural; using the singular ‘Sportart’ would change the meaning to one specific sport.
↔Alternatives
Wir treiben viele Sportarten.
We practice many sports.
Wir betreiben verschiedene Sportarten.
We engage in various sports.
Wir spielen viele Sportarten.
We play many sports.
Cultural Tip
In German, the most idiomatic way to talk about regular sport activity is ‘Sport treiben’. ‘Wir machen viele Sportarten’ is perfectly understandable and sounds a bit more informal, suitable for casual chat. In Austria you’ll also hear ‘Wir machen viel Sport’, which uses the singular ‘Sport’ as a collective noun.