Provided is a method for determining the rotational position of a rotor in a permanent magnet synchronous machine, wherein the stator includes windings for a first, second and third phase, including the steps: applying a first voltage pulse to the first phase, determining respective first measures for the current induced by the first voltage pulse in the second and third phase, selecting a first selected phase depending on the first measures for the current, wherein the first selected phase is either the second or the third phase, applying a second voltage pulse to the first selected phase, determining respective second measures for the current induced by the second voltage pulse in the phases of the stator that are not the first selected phase, and determining the rotational position of the rotor depending on the second measures of the current.