A method for operating an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle, is described. The engine has a number of cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), and in each of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), one movable piston is accommodated, which is capable of passing through an intake phase (S), a compression phase (V), a working phase (A), and an expulsion phase (B). The fuel can be injected directly into a combustion chamber defined by the cylinder (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) and the piston. A first output signal (P1) is generated, which always changes its value whenever a transition from one phase to the next phase of the engine is taking place. A second output signal (P2) is generated, which always changes its value upon every other transition between two phases of the engine. The two output signals (P1, P2) are generated independently from one another, and from the two output signals, the present phase of at least one of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) is ascertained.