German word

verwechseln

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈvɛksl̩n/

Meaning

  • verbmix up

Example

Du verwechselst immer die Namen.

You always mix up the names.

Illustration for verwechseln (mix up)

More examples

Ich habe ihn mit seinem Bruder verwechselt.

I mistook him for his brother.

Core concept

Two matching file labels are put on the wrong files, so each file is recognized as the other one.

Common phrases

  • jemanden verwechseln

    mistake ___ for someone else

  • A mit B verwechseln

    mistake ___ for ___

  • die Namen verwechseln

    mix up the names

Similar words

missverstehen: Understand someone's words or intentions incorrectly.
sich irren: Be wrong about a fact or judgment.
vertauschen: Accidentally swap two things or names.
durcheinanderbringen: Disorder things so that they become confused or mixed up.

Definition in German

etwas oder jemanden fälschlich mit etwas anderem identifizieren, also nicht korrekt unterscheiden

Word origin

Verwechseln is a prefixed formation from wechseln, 'to change or exchange', whose meaning developed toward confusing one referent with another.

Usage tips

  • Verwechseln has the inseparable prefix ver-, so its perfect participle is verwechselt, as in hat die Namen verwechselt, not a form with ge.

Other meanings

  • confuseverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Verwechslungmix-upnoun
  • verwechselbarconfusableadjective

Word lists with this word