verwirren
to confuse
To mentally disorient someone so that the person can no longer think clearly or becomes unsure.
EXAMPLE
Die komplizierte Anleitung hat mich völlig verwirrt.
The complicated instructions completely confused me.
verwirren
to confuse
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Meanings
verwirren
to tangle
To put something that was orderly (e.g., hair, threads) into disorder or make it knotted.
EXAMPLE
Der starke Wind hat ihre Frisur ganz verwirrt.
The strong wind completely tangled her hairstyle.
sich verwirren
to become tangled
To get tangled up or lose one's orientation in a physical or mental process.
EXAMPLE
Das Garn hat sich beim Aufwickeln ständig verwirrt.
The yarn kept getting tangled while being wound up.
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb 'verwirren' (to confuse) derives from the adjective 'wirr' (disordered, confused). The inseparable prefix 'ver-' describes a process here or bringing about a state. So 'verwirren' literally means to put someone or something into a 'wirren' (disordered/confused) state.
EXAMPLE
Seine widersprüchlichen Aussagen haben die Jury verwirrt.
His contradictory statements confused the jury.
Inseparable verb
'Verwirren' (to confuse) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all sentence forms and tenses and is not placed at the end of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Die vielen neuen Regeln verwirren mich.
The many new rules confuse me.
Action vs. state
The verb 'verwirren' (to confuse) describes an action or process. The resulting state is often expressed with the past participle as an adjective: 'verwirrt sein' (to be confused).
EXAMPLE
Die Frage des Professors verwirrte den Studenten. (Aktion)
The professor's question confused the student. (action)
Context clue
Whether a person is confused mentally (meaning 1) or something is tangled physically (meaning 2) can be recognized from the object. If it is a person, it is about thoughts. If it is things like hair, cables, or threads, it is about disorder.
EXAMPLE
Seine unklare Antwort hat mich verwirrt.
His unclear answer confused me.
Compare with
verwirren vs verwechseln
to confuse
Both words are appropriate when similar people or things cause problems. „Verwirren“ describes a situation mentally confusing someone. „Verwechseln“ is more specific and means mistakenly taking two people or things for each other.
verwirren
Die ähnlich klingenden Namen verwirrten mich, sodass ich den Überblick verlor.
The similar-sounding names confused me, and I lost track of everything.
verwechseln
Wegen der ähnlich klingenden Namen verwechselte ich die beiden Kollegen.
Because of the similar-sounding names, I mixed up the two colleagues.
In real life
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