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German Phrase

Machen wir's ein anderes Mal.

/ˈmaxən viːɐ̯s aɪn ˈandəʁəs maːl/
Meaning"Let’s do it another time."
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Meaning

Literally, “Let’s do it another time.” It is used to politely postpone a plan or activity, signalling that you are still interested but need to reschedule.

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When to use

Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, family, or close colleagues when you have to defer a meeting, a coffee, or any activity to a later occasion. It sounds friendly and cooperative, but avoid it in very formal business settings.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Machenwir'seinanderesMal

1

Verb‑First Suggestion

In informal suggestions the verb can come first, followed by the subject (Machen wir...), which gives a friendly, collaborative tone.

2

Contraction wir's

wir's = wir es. The contraction is common in spoken German and makes the sentence sound natural and quick.

3

Indefinite article + adjective

Ein + neuter noun (Mal) + adjective (anderes) takes the strong ending -es in the accusative: ein anderes Mal.

4

Capitalisation

Nouns are always capitalised in German, so Mal must be written with a capital M.

🗨In Conversation

A

Wollen wir heute Abend ins Kino gehen?

Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?

Machen wir's ein anderes Mal.

Let’s do it another time.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • machen wir ein anderes mal.

    Missing the contraction "wir's" and the noun "Mal" must be capitalised.

  • Machen wir ein anderes Mal.

    Without the contraction the sentence sounds stilted; the natural spoken form is "Machen wir's..."

  • Machen wir's ein andere Mal.

    The adjective must agree with the neuter noun: "anderes", not "andere".

↔Alternatives

  • Lass uns ein anderes Mal machen.

    Let’s do it another time.

  • Wie wäre es, wenn wir es ein anderes Mal machen?

    How about we do it another time?

  • Wir können das später machen.

    We can do it later.

de

Cultural Tip

The contraction wir's is typical of spoken, informal German. In a formal email or business meeting you would replace it with a full form such as "Könnten wir das ein anderes Mal machen?" Also note that "Mal" refers to an occasion, not a duration, so the phrase is about rescheduling a single event rather than a recurring habit.