to blur
Loading your saved state.
to blur
To lose the clear outlines or boundaries of something and become blurry or indistinct. This can refer to visual impressions or colors.
Durch den Regen verschwammen die Lichter der Stadt zu bunten Flecken.
Because of the rain, the city lights blurred into colorful patches.
The verb is made up of 'ver-' and 'schwimmen' (to swim). You can imagine it visually: the clear outlines 'swim' away and dissolve until they become unclear.
Im Nebel verschwammen die Umrisse der Bäume.
In the fog, the outlines of the trees blurred.
Since 'verschwimmen' (to blur) describes a change of state, the perfect tense is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be), not with 'haben' (to have).
Die Farben auf dem nassen Papier sind ineinander verschwommen.
The colors on the wet paper have blurred into one another.
In the figurative meaning, 'verschwimmen' (to blur) is very often used with the noun 'die Grenzen' (the boundaries). The phrase 'die Grenzen verschwimmen' (the boundaries blur) is a fixed combination.
In ihrem Job verschwimmen die Grenzen zwischen Arbeit und Privatleben oft.
In her job, the boundaries between work and private life often blur.
to disappear
'verschwinden' and 'verschwimmen' look very similar, but they do not mean the same thing. You use 'verschwinden' when something is gone, is no longer visible, or no longer exists. 'verschwimmen' means that something becomes indistinct: lines, colors, or differences are no longer clear. Learners may confuse the words because of their similar form. Remember: if something is gone, you say 'verschwinden'. If something is still there but becomes blurry or unclear, you say 'verschwimmen'.
Ohne Brille verschwimmen die Buchstaben vor meinen Augen.
Without glasses, the letters blur before my eyes.
Im Nebel verschwand das Haus langsam aus unserem Blick.
In the fog, the house slowly disappeared from our view.