Method for the controlled operation of a multiphase electric machine having a plurality of phase winding sections interconnected in a star connection, having the following steps: - providing a control error of a control system, wherein the control system comprises a speed control system, a torque control system or a flux control system, - controlling the operation of the electric machine on the basis of computationally ascertained actual phase currents in order to provide terminal potential data (Sa, Sb, Sc) for driving an inverter, which accordingly applies terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) to the electric machine, wherein a machine model is used to ascertain the actual phase currents (I aist, I bist, I cist) on the basis of the terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) and the control error, characterized in that the machine model is based on an inductance matrix which determines magnetic properties of the electric machine in such a way that it maps voltage differences between the terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) against the actual phase currents (I aist, I bist, I cist), wherein the inductance matrix comprises terms from inductances formed from phase inductances and coupling inductances which are each dependent on the position of the rotor, and wherein the inductances are defined by coefficients of harmonics of a rotation of the electrical position angle, wherein the actual phase currents are calculated as follows: d dt Iaist Ibist = 1 dLMa φ ⋅ dLMb φ + dLMb φ ⋅ dLMc φ + dLMc φ ⋅ dLMa φ ⋅ dLMb φ + dLMc φ; dLMb φ − dLMc φ; dLMa φ ⋅ Va − Vb Vb − Vc − R ⋅ Iaist − Ibist Iaist + 2 Ibist − ea − eb eb − ec where dLM a φ = La φ + Mbc φ − Mab φ − Mac φ − dLM b φ = − Lb φ − Mac φ + Mbc φ + Mab φ dLM c φ = Lc φ + Mab φ − Mac φ − Mbc φ where ea, eb, ec correspond to the voltages induced in the phase winding sections, Va, Vb, Vc correspond to the terminal potentials, I aist, I bist, I cist correspond to the actual phase currents, La, Lb, Lc correspond to the phase inductances, Mab, Mac, Mbc correspond to the coupling inductances between two of the phase winding sections in each case, φ corresponds to the position of the rotor and R corresponds to the electrical phase resistance. - providing a control error of a control system, wherein the control system comprises a speed control system, a torque control system or a flux control system, - controlling the operation of the electric machine on the basis of computationally ascertained actual phase currents in order to provide terminal potential data (Sa, Sb, Sc) for driving an inverter, which accordingly applies terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) to the electric machine, wherein a machine model is used to ascertain the actual phase currents (I aist, I bist, I cist) on the basis of the terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) and the control error, characterized in that the machine model is based on an inductance matrix which determines magnetic properties of the electric machine in such a way that it maps voltage differences between the terminal potentials (Va, Vb, Vc) against the actual phase currents (I aist, I bist, I cist), wherein the inductance matrix comprises terms from inductances formed from phase inductances and coupling inductances which are each dependent on the position of the rotor, and wherein the inductances are defined by coefficients of harmonics of a rotation of the electrical position angle, wherein the actual phase currents are calculated as follows: d dt Iaist Ibist = 1 dLMa φ ⋅ dLMb φ + dLMb φ ⋅ dLMc φ + dLMc φ ⋅ dLMa φ ⋅ dLMb φ + dLMc φ; dLMb φ − dLMc φ; dLMa φ ⋅ Va − Vb Vb − Vc − R ⋅ Iaist − Ibist Iaist + 2 Ibist − ea − eb eb − ec where dLM a φ = La φ + Mbc φ − Mab φ − Mac φ − dLM b φ = − Lb φ − Mac φ + Mbc φ + Mab φ dLM c φ = Lc φ + Mab φ − Mac φ − Mbc φ where ea, eb, ec correspond to the voltages induced in the phase winding sections, Va, Vb, Vc correspond to the terminal potentials, I aist, I bist, I cist correspond to the actual phase currents, La, Lb, Lc correspond to the phase inductances, Mab, Mac, Mbc correspond to the coupling inductances between two of the phase winding sections in each case, φ corresponds to the position of the rotor and R corresponds to the electrical phase resistance.