A method is described for controlling a multiphase machine which is connected to a battery, the multiphase machine having a DC link which is provided with a DC link capacitor, phase windings, and a high side switch and a low side switch for each phase. The switches associated with the individual phases are controlled by a control unit in such a way that sinusoidal phase currents are predefined, at least one phase current is connected at any point in time in each control cycle, and a fixed, pulsed control pattern is present for each control cycle. The control widths of the actuating signals associated with the phases are constant in the pulsed control pattern. The control pulses associated with the individual phases are predefined in such a way that the DC link current which arises is minimized.