In a three-phase permanent-magnet synchronous machine, a pole gap and a skew of permanent magnets on the rotor are designed such that oscillating torques which are caused by the fifth and seventh harmonics of the stator field and of the rotor field are mutually reduced. In particular, the skew can be chosen as a function of the pole gap, such that the majority of the respective oscillating torques is neutralized. This results in minimal torque ripple.