Meaning trap
mix up
confuse two things
To think that one person or thing is another, usually by mistake.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To think that one person or thing is another, usually by mistake.
Another meaning of 'mix up' is 'combine things'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
I always mix up their names because they look so similar.
Sometimes I mix up the dates for my appointments, especially when I'm busy.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I always mix up them.
Say: I always mix them up.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'mix them up'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Mix up' is the everyday verb for confusing two things; 'confuse with one another' is stiff.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
mix up + confusables
- the names
- the dates
- the twins
- you two
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- mix up (combine things) — Another meaning of 'mix up' is 'combine things'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.