Method for operating a converter circuit, the converter circuit having at least two phase modules, each phase module having a first and a second subconverter system, the subconverter systems being connected in series with one another for each phase module, the node between the two subconverter systems (1, 2) forming an output connection, each subconverter system (1, 2) comprising an inductance (L1, L2) and at least one two-pole switching cell, which is connected in series with said inductance, and each switching cell having two drivable bidirectional power semiconductor switches, which are connected in series with a controlled unidirectional current guidance direction and a capacitive energy store, which is connected in parallel with the series circuit comprising the power semiconductor switches, in which the power semiconductor switches of the switching cells of the first subconverter system are driven by means of a drive signal, and the power semiconductor switches of the switching cells of the second subconverter system are driven by means of a further drive signal, that, for each phase module, the drive signal is formed from a switching function (α 1) for the power semiconductor switches of the switching cells of the first subconverter system, that the further drive signal is formed from a switching function (α 2) for the power semiconductor switches of the switching cells of the second subconverter system, that the switching functions (α 1, α 2) are formed by means of a voltage signal (V A) with respect to the voltage (V u) at the output connection of the associated phase module and a selectable reference signal (V ref), the voltage signals (V A) being selected so as to be in phase with the voltage (V u) at the output connections of the phase modules, characterized in that, for each phase module, the drive signal and the further drive signal are additionally formed from a voltage signal (V L) across the inductances (L1, L2), in that, for each phase module, the voltage signal (V L) across the inductances (L1, L2) is formed from a current signal (V i) of the subconverter systems (1, 2), in that, for each phase module, the current signal (V i) of the subconverter systems (1, 2) is formed from a current signal amplitude value (A h), in that, for each phase module for direct current operation, the current signal amplitude value (A h) is formed from the actual current value (i u) at the output connection and the reference signal (V ref) in accordance with formula 1 2 I 0 ⋅ M h 2 + A h ⋅ M h ⋅ cos Δφ − 1 + V ref ⋅ 1 − V ref ⋅ I 0 ≡ 0 where A h ≡ M h, wherein I 0 is a DC component of the actual current value (i u) at the output connection, M h is a voltage signal amplitude value, and Δφ is the phase difference between the current signal (V i) of the subconverter systems (1, 2) and the voltage (V u) at the output connection A, and in that, for each phase module for alternating current operation, the current signal amplitude value (A h), is formed from the actual current value (i u), at the output connection and the reference signal (V ref) in accordance with the formula 1 2 i ^ u ⋅ cos ω u t + φ u ⋅ M h 2 + A h ⋅ M h cos Δφ − 1 + V ref ⋅ 1 − V ref ⋅ i ^ u ⋅ cos ω u t + φ u ≡ 0 where A h ≡ M h, wherein î u is the amplitude value of the actual current value (i u), ω u is the frequency of the actual current value (i u) and φ u is the phase shift of the actual current value (i u).