Verb

verwechseln

Translation

to confuse, to mix up, to mistake for

Ich verwechsle oft ihre Namen.

I often mix up their names.

Er hat die Schlüssel verwechselt.

He mixed up the keys.

Verwechseln Sie mich nicht mit meinem Bruder!

Don't confuse me with my brother!

((j-n/et4)) ((mit+3)) to confuse sb./sth. with sb./sth. I confused him with his brother.

Synonyms: durcheinanderbringen (to muddle up); Antonyms: unterscheiden (to distinguish), auseinanderhalten (to tell apart)

From 'ver-' (prefix indicating a mistake) and 'wechseln' (to change, to switch). The literal meaning is 'to switch wrongly'.

You 'wechseln' (change) one thing for another, but the 'ver-' prefix shows you did it by mistake.