German Phrase
Was machst du, wenn du traurig bist?
Meaning
Literally, “What do you do when you are sad?” The sentence asks someone about their coping actions or habits when they feel down. It can be used to start a conversation about emotional wellbeing or to share personal strategies.
When to use
Use this question when you want to learn how a friend, family member, or colleague deals with sadness, or when you’re offering support and need to know what helps them feel better.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wasmachstdu,wenndutraurigbist?
Was (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask 'what' in both main and subordinate clauses.
machst (verb machen, 2nd person singular)
Present‑tense form of 'machen' (to do/make) that follows the verb‑second (V2) rule in a main clause.
wenn (subordinating conjunction)
Introduces a conditional/subordinate clause; it pushes the finite verb to the end of that clause.
bist (verb sein, 2nd person singular)
Finite verb of the subordinate clause; appears at the clause’s end because of 'wenn'.
traurig (predicate adjective)
Describes the subject’s emotional state; works as a predicative adjective with 'sein'.
Comma placement
German requires a comma before a subordinate clause introduced by 'wenn'.
🗨In Conversation
Was machst du, wenn du traurig bist?
What do you do when you’re sad?
Ich gehe gern spazieren oder höre meine Lieblingsmusik, das hilft mir, mich zu beruhigen.
I like to go for a walk or listen to my favorite music; that helps me calm down.
✕Common Mistakes
Was machst du wenn du traurig bist?
Missing comma before the subordinate clause; German requires a comma after the main clause when a 'wenn'-clause follows.
Was machst du, wenn bist du traurig?
The clause order is wrong; after 'wenn' the verb must go to the end: 'wenn du traurig bist', not 'wenn bist du traurig'.
Was machst du, wenn traurig bist du?
In a subordinate clause the finite verb must be final; 'traurig bist du' is a main‑clause word order.
↔Alternatives
Was tust du, wenn du traurig bist?
What do you do when you are sad?
Wie gehst du mit Traurigkeit um?
How do you deal with sadness?
Was hilft dir, wenn du traurig bist?
What helps you when you’re sad?
Cultural Tip
Germans tend to be straightforward about emotions, but they also value personal space. Asking "Was machst du, wenn du traurig bist?" shows genuine interest without prying too deeply. In more formal settings you might soften the question with "Könntest du mir sagen…" or use the more neutral "Wie gehst du mit Traurigkeit um?". Regional dialects may replace "machst" with "tust" in southern Germany, but both are understood everywhere.