aus Versehen

Definition & meaning

aus Versehen means by accident, accidentally, or unintentionally. It describes an action that was not planned or deliberate.

• Ich habe dich aus Versehen angerufen.
  = I called you by accident.
• Sie hat das Glas aus Versehen zerbrochen.
  = She broke the glass accidentally.

It can also express that someone made a mistake without intending to do so.

Grammar & Word origin

aus Versehen is a fixed adverbial phrase.

• aus {German word link} means “out of” and governs the dative case.
• Versehen {German word link} is the neuter noun das Versehen {German word link}, meaning “oversight” or “mistake.”

Literally, the phrase means “out of an oversight.” It is normally written as two words and does not change according to gender, number, or case.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

• versehentlich {German word link} — accidentally; very close in meaning and often interchangeable with aus Versehen.
• unabsichtlich {German word link} — unintentionally; emphasizes the absence of intention.
• unbeabsichtigt {German word link} — unintended; somewhat more formal.
• irrtümlich {German word link} — mistakenly or erroneously; usually suggests that someone acted based on incorrect information or confusion.
• zufällig {German word link} — by chance; focuses more on something happening coincidentally, not necessarily through a mistake.

Antonyms

• absichtlich {German word link} — intentionally or deliberately.
• bewusst {German word link} — consciously or knowingly.
• vorsätzlich {German word link} — deliberately and with intent, often used in legal or formal contexts.

Common phrases & collocations

• etwas aus Versehen tun {German word link} — to do something accidentally
• etwas aus Versehen sagen {German word link} — to say something unintentionally
• jemanden aus Versehen verletzen {German word link} — to hurt someone accidentally
• etwas aus Versehen löschen {German word link} — to delete something by accident
• Das war nur aus Versehen. {German word link} — That was only an accident.
• Ich habe das nicht mit Absicht {German word link} gemacht, sondern aus Versehen. {German word link} — I did not do that intentionally, but by accident.