A method and a control device operate a three-phase brushless direct current motor with phase windings that are fed by an inverter connected to a voltage source having a high potential and a low potential. The semiconductor switches of the inverter are arranged in a bridge circuit and are controlled such that current always flows through two phase windings during motor operation. The motor is operated with normal commutation when the rotational speed is greater than or equal to a minimum rotational speed, wherein the angles are shifted by 60°. During start-up operation, up to the minimum rotational speed, a high-potential-side commutation angle of a phase winding is shifted toward a low-potential-side commutation angle of the phase winding by an angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 60° with respect to the normal commutation.