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German Phrase

Glaub ich nicht. Jetzt macht's Spaß.

/ɡlaʊ̯p ɪç nɪçt ˈʔaɪ̯nɐ ˈmaχt͡s ˈʃpaːs/
Meaning"I don’t think so. Now it’s fun."
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Meaning

The speaker is expressing doubt or disbelief about something that was just said (“Glaub ich nicht.” = “I don’t think so.”) and then points out that the situation has become enjoyable (“Jetzt macht’s Spaß.” = “Now it’s fun.”). The two sentences are often used together when a change in attitude occurs.

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When to use

Use this pair in casual, spoken German when you want to dismiss a suggestion or expectation and then highlight that the reality turned out to be enjoyable. It’s typical among friends, teammates, or in informal online chats.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Glaubichnicht.Jetztmacht'sSpaß.

1

Verb‑Subject inversion (colloquial)

In informal speech the verb can precede the subject, e.g. “Glaub ich nicht” instead of “Ich glaube nicht”.

2

Contraction “macht’s”

“macht’s” is a spoken contraction of “macht es”. The apostrophe replaces the vowel of “es”.

3

Der Spaß

“Spaß” is a masculine noun (der Spaß) meaning “fun”. It is used with the verb “machen” to express enjoyment.

4

Adverb “Jetzt”

“Jetzt” (now) is placed at the beginning of the clause to stress the change of situation.

🗨In Conversation

A

Glaub ich nicht.

I don’t think so.

Jetzt macht's Spaß.

Now it’s fun.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Glaub ich nicht.

    In very formal contexts you should use the full subject‑verb order: “Ich glaube nicht”.

  • Jetzt macht s Spaß.

    Do not write “macht s” or “macht es” in casual speech; the apostrophe is required for the spoken contraction.

  • Jetzt macht's Spass.

    Avoid using the English spelling “Spass”; German uses the ß (sharp s) after a long vowel.

↔Alternatives

  • Ich glaube nicht. Jetzt macht es Spaß.

    I don’t think so. Now it’s fun.

  • Das glaube ich nicht. Jetzt macht es Spaß.

    I don’t believe that. Now it’s fun.

  • Ich bin mir nicht sicher. Jetzt macht es Spaß.

    I’m not sure. Now it’s fun.

de

Cultural Tip

The ellipsis of “ich” after the verb and the contraction “macht’s” are hallmarks of spoken, informal German. In formal writing you would keep the full forms (“Ich glaube nicht. Jetzt macht es Spaß.”). Also, “Spaß” is often used with “machen” (to make fun) rather than “haben” (to have fun) in German.