# let's do it like that then



## polyglotwannabe

Hi, I want to say this, but I'm in doubt as to what verb to use here: machen or tun?

If you like the idea, let's do it like that.

My try: wenn Sie die Idee mögen, lass uns das zu tun

thanks,

poly


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## Frieder

... dann machen wir es/das so.


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## polyglotwannabe

Hallo, frieder, and thank you very much


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## elroy

Frieder said:


> ... dann machen wir es/das so.


 I was going to post that but then I realized it was ambiguous: it can mean “*let’s* do it like that” or “*we’ll* do it like that.”


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## polyglotwannabe

Elroy, thanks a lot, buddy. Very good.


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## Perseas

polyglotwannabe said:


> If you like the idea, let's do it like that.
> 
> My try: wenn Sie die Idee mögen, *lass uns das zu tun*


Maybe less idiomatic than other suggestions, but is this anyhow OK? Thanks in advance.

... , *lass uns das auf diese Weise (so) tun*.


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## polyglotwannabe

Perseas, nice!


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## Perseas

polyglotwannabe said:


> Perseas, nice!


You're welcome, Poly.  
I would like to get a confirmation by an expert, because I am not very sure.


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## polyglotwannabe

That would be like saying : let's do it this way. Which sounds okay to me. Let's see if n.s approve it


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## Sowka

I think I would say: "Dann lass es uns doch so machen." or "Dann machen wir's doch so!"

These sentences with "doch" imply that I really like the idea, and I'm glad that my friend likes the idea, too.


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## polyglotwannabe

Sowka, that is really good. Love it 
Thanks for input


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## Frieder

Sowka said:


> ... doch ...


 That puts the cherry on the cake .


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## JClaudeK

Sowka said:


> "Dann machen wir's doch so!"




Or, even more particles:
"Wenn Sie die Idee mögen, _na_, dann machen wir's doch so!"


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## polyglotwannabe

Thanks you to all of you. You always make my day with your  explanations and information.


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## Hutschi

Perseas said:


> Maybe less idiomatic than other suggestions, but is this anyhow OK? Thanks in advance.
> 
> ... , *lass uns das auf diese Weise (so) tun*.



It is not very idiomatic, but you can use it. "Tun" and "machen" are often exchangeable.
Note that you can use either "auf diese Weise" or "so", both have the same meaning and if you want to use redundancy, it is vice versum:

... , *lass uns so -- das auf diese Weise -- tun*.

... , *lass uns das (doch) auf diese Weise tun*.
... , *lass uns das  (doch) so tun*.

In most cases, I would prefer Sowka's phrase with "Dann lass es uns doch so machen." or "Dann machen wir's doch so!"


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## Minnesota Guy

polyglotwannabe said:


> If you like the idea, let's do it like that.



The English sentence in the OP can be read in two ways. (@polyglotwannabe, you may want to weigh in on this.)

1. If you like the idea [your own idea], let's do it like that.
2. If you like the idea [my idea, which you agree with], let's do it like that.

Would the suggestions with *doch*  work in either case?  ("Dann lass es uns doch so machen" or "Dann machen wir's doch so!")


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## Hutschi

Yes, they do work both.
"Doch" is just a kind of encouraging intensifier indicating that we* really *should do it.

 If it is my idea, the other one usually agrees somehow. If it is the idea of the other one, I should express agreement.
"Einverstanden."
After this, you can say: "Dann lass es uns doch so machen" or "Dann machen wir's doch so!" 
This is because of "dann". "Dann" means "in this case" (einverstanden) here. 



If you want to convince the other one, you should omit "dann":

In this case only "Lass es uns doch so machen, wie ich vorgeschlagen habe." or  "Machen wir's doch so, wie ich vorgeschlagen habe!")


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## JClaudeK

polyglotwannabe said:


> wenn Sie die Idee mögen, .......





Minnesota Guy said:


> 1. If you like the idea [your own idea], let's do it like that.



I would say:
Wenn Sie  Lust dazu haben, dann können  wir's  gern so machen! 

And for the second, I'd say:


Minnesota Guy said:


> 2. If you like the idea [my idea, which you agree with], let's do it like that.


Wenn Sie (auch) Lust dazu haben, dann machen wir's doch so!


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## sma099

What hasn’t been mentioned as far as I can tell: we have to keep the formal you in the second part of the sentence. _Wenn Sie die Idee mögen, dann *lassen* *Sie* es uns so machen. _


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## Frieder

Sowka said:


> "Dann machen wir's doch so!"


... doesn't need any formal you.



sma099 said:


> dann *lassen* *Sie* es uns so machen


... sounds a bit circumlocutory, don't you think?


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## sma099

Frieder said:


> ... doesn't need any formal you.



Why don’t you quote the full sentence? That part you conveniently left out is one of the examples I was referring to...



Frieder said:


> ... sounds a bit circumlocutory, don't you think?



No, why? It just sounds correct. “Lass uns” is the informal you, and I would find it awkward, not to say impolite, to suddenly assume permission to “dutzen” halfway into the sentence and switch when the sentence started with “Sie”. Whether the “wir” construction is better, is unrelated.


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## Frieder

The question (cf. headline) was about the phrase "let's do it like that then". Sowka found "dann machen wir's doch so" which I think ist the best translation by far because it does not need any du/Sie discrimination and it is very idiomatic. No need to quote the whole sentence.

Your phrase on the other hand "dann lassen Sie es uns so machen" could probably be found in a very formal document because it sounds a bit pompous.


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## sma099

Frieder said:


> No need to quote the whole sentence.



I am not sure if we are saying the same thing or completely different things. My whole point was that _if_ we decide to use the verb "lassen", like Sowka did in the first part of the sentence you didn't quote properly, and also others in this thread, then we have to use "lassen Sie" instead of "lass uns". Do you agree or do you think "Wenn Sie die Idee mögen, dann lass uns das so machen" is correct? 



Frieder said:


> Your phrase on the other hand "dann lassen Sie es uns so machen" could probably be found in a *very formal* document because it sounds a bit pompous.



I disagree 100%. Actually, the electrician who came to my house to fix something said this very phrase this week. On the contrary, I can't picture my bank writing this to me in a letter. So we might have different ideas about formality, so, lassen Sie es uns dabei belassen .


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## Frieder

sma099 said:


> do you think "Wenn Sie die Idee mögen, dann lass uns das so machen" is correct?


No. You are correct of course. So we talked past each other. Sorry for that.


sma099 said:


> So we might have different ideas about formality


I agree .


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