Ich mache nicht Spaß

Hello,

I'm only working module 5 right now, but I found a phrase in a higher level that does not seem to have the right conjugation for "Ich mache". Can somebody please have a look at it? If by adding "doch" to the phrase it changes the conjugation to mach... well I have my doubts. Probably a typo, but the audio makes me wonder. I really can't hear the mach(E) but only mach doch.

In lesson 15.2 http://members.rocketlanguages.com/lessons/112
D) Ich mach doch nur Spaß. - 10:31 in audio.
E) I'm only joking.

In lesson 5.8 http://members.rocketlanguages.com/lessons/76
D) Ich mache nur Spaß.   <= based on Paul and Byron's comments below, the e should be removed.
E) I’m only making fun.

Thanks so much.

-Jason

p.s.
This Rocket German Quiz has been fixed to use spaß:
http://members.rocketlanguages.com/lessons/76#lessonquiz

p.p.s
Byron is right that mach is used colloquially (every day language) and is not conjugated. http://contribute.dict.cc/?action=show-history&id=582373

So that leads me to think that the first lesson is wrong.

My money is on a typo. Doch should not change the conjugation of verbs. It may be though that, as in English, in casual conversation it's often common not to follow all the rules of grammar. I ran into that explanation once before on a phrase I had questioned.

Hi Byron, Margaret has corrected Spaß throughout the course. I am going to update my comments above to reflect the corrections. Still need to have somebody check this conjugation. I may open a ticket to get it fixed like I did for Spaß. -Jason

I'm pretty sure "mach" is not a typo. I did some Google searching for it. For one thing, it's the German translation for an Ellen Degeneres book called "Seriously, I'm only kidding". While I've seen some really horrible translations from some on line translators, e.g. "Nevertheless, I give only pleasure" the common translations are "I'm just kidding" or "I'm only joking". "mach doch" or "mach doch mal" (just do it) seems to be a common colloquial expression and "mach" does not seem to be conjugated. Hopefully, Paul can clear this up for us.

Hi Byron and Jason,

"Mach" is correct. "Ich mach das" = "I do it" and "mach das!" = "Do it!". "Mach doch" is quite strong expression that is hard to translate. The word "doch" is a whole new topic on his own and English speakers embrace the word as it doesn't exist in English. "Mach doch" in English would relate to "Just do it!".

Regards

Paul

Thanks guys,

In that case, the first lesson where mache is written is correct and yet never used?

The problem with changing lesson 5.8 is that it is there specifically to provide clear examples of how to conjugate haben and machen.

Perhaps, if I were the author for that first lesson, I would go ahead and give all the normal examples for machen and then I would put this example at the end and explain that there are some situations where it is better to use it colloquially without the proper conjugation. I would also not translate it as I'm only making fun, but instead as I'm only joking. This allows one the liberty of then using the phrase with Ich mach without the e in the later lessons.