Making Mistakes with zich ver-
In Dutch, you can describe doing something erroneously by adding the prefix ver- to a base verb and making it reflexive (using pronouns like me, je, zich, or ons).
For example, rekenen (to calculate) becomes zich verrekenen (to miscalculate).
| While checking the calculation, I miscalculated. | Tijdens het controleren van de berekening heb ik me verrekend. |
| There is a problem, because you miscalculated. | Er is een probleem, want jij hebt je verrekend. |
If you make a mistake assessing a situation, use zich verkijken op (to misjudge). Note that it pairs with the preposition op.
| We often misjudge the estimate. | Wij verkijken ons vaak op de inschatting. |
The same logic applies to reading (lezen) and writing (schrijven). A slip of the pen or reading error becomes zich verschrijven or zich verlezen.
| I misread, there is no break. | Ik heb me verlezen, er is geen pauze. |
| I made a writing mistake in the letter yesterday. | Ik heb me gisteren verschreven in de brief. |
Physical Blunders
This reflexive ver- structure is also common for physical mistakes. Taking a wrong turn while driving (rijden) becomes zich verrijden, and missing a step (stappen) becomes zich verstappen.
| He misstepped on the first stair. | Hij heeft zich verstapt op de eerste trede. |
| We took a wrong turn in the city last night. | We hebben ons gisteravond verreden in de stad. |
If you hurt yourself lifting (tillen) something too heavy, use zich vertillen aan. It requires the preposition aan to indicate what caused the strain.
| I strained myself lifting that heavy box. | Ik heb me vertild aan die zware doos. |