mess
das Durcheinander, die Durcheinander
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mess
A disorganized, chaotic situation in which many things are not in their proper place or cannot be clearly distinguished from one another.
Nach dem Umzug herrschte in der ganzen Wohnung ein großes Durcheinander.
After the move, the whole apartment was in a complete mess.
jumble
An untidy mixture of different things, people, or matters.
In der Schublade fand ich ein Durcheinander aus Kabeln, Schlüsseln und alten Quittungen.
In the drawer, I found a jumble of cables, keys, and old receipts.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Durcheinander |
| genitive | des Durcheinanders |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Durcheinander | die Durcheinander |
| accusative | das Durcheinander | die Durcheinander |
| dative | dem Durcheinander | den Durcheinandern |
| genitive | des Durcheinanders | der Durcheinander |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Durcheinander' is made up of 'durch' (through) and 'einander' (one another). The compound conveys the idea that different things or people are mixed together in a disorganized way.
Wegen des Streiks herrschte am Bahnhof ein heilloses Durcheinander.
Because of the strike, there was complete chaos at the train station.
For a chaotic situation, verbs such as 'herrschen' (to prevail), 'entstehen' (to arise), or 'sorgen für' (to cause) are often used with 'Durcheinander'. These combinations describe the mess as a state or as the result of an action.
Durch die kurzfristige Änderung der Pläne entstand ein großes Durcheinander.
The last-minute change to the plans caused a great deal of confusion.
When different things or matters are mixed together in a disorganized way, 'aus' (of) with the dative often follows 'Durcheinander'. This allows you to name the components of the mixture precisely.
Auf dem Schreibtisch lag ein Durcheinander aus Büchern, Papieren und Stiften.
There was a jumble of books, papers, and pens on the desk.
