versemmeln
Translation
to mess up, to botch, to flub, to screw up
Examples
Er hat die Prüfung total versemmelt.
He totally messed up the exam.
Ich habe die letzte Frage versemmelt.
I messed up the last question.
Versemmel das nicht!
Don't screw this up!
Grammar Patterns
to mess ((sth.)) up to ruin sth. He messed up the whole project.
Similar Words
Synonyms: vermasseln, vergeigen, verbocken (all slang for 'to screw up'); Antonyms: schaffen (to succeed), meistern (to master)
Etymology
Composed of 'ver-' (prefix indicating an error) and 'Semmel' (a bread roll, especially in southern Germany). The idea is of messing something up, like a simple task.
Memory Tips
Picture a baker whose 'Semmel' (bread roll) turns out all wrong. The 'ver-' prefix signals the failure. This is a very informal, colloquial term.