mistake
mistakes
mistaking
mistook
Mistake means to misunderstand or confuse one thing for another. Irregular: mistake-mistook-mistaken.
Meanings
- To misunderstand
- To confuse with another
- To identify wrongly
- An error (noun)
Common Collocations
mistake for
mistaken identity
make a mistake
mistake someone for
if I'm not mistaken
Tip for Learners
Mistake for = confuse with: "I mistook him for his brother." Mistaken identity = wrong identification. If I'm not mistaken = if I'm correct. Follows pattern of "take".
Present Simple
| I | mistake |
| you | mistake |
| he/she/it | mistakes |
| we | mistake |
| they | mistake |
Examples - Present Simple
- I sometimes mistake twins for each other.
- You mistake kindness for weakness.
- He mistakes her for someone else.
- We often mistake similar products.
- They mistake confidence for arrogance.
Present Continuous
| I | am mistaking |
| you | are mistaking |
| he/she/it | is mistaking |
| we | are mistaking |
| they | are mistaking |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am mistaking you for someone else.
- You are mistaking my intentions.
- She is mistaking him for his brother.
- We are mistaking the situation.
- They are mistaking our silence for agreement.
Present Perfect
| I | have mistaken |
| you | have mistaken |
| he/she/it | has mistaken |
| we | have mistaken |
| they | have mistaken |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have mistaken you for your sister.
- You have mistaken my meaning.
- He has mistaken her for someone famous.
- We have mistaken the address.
- They have mistaken our intentions.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been mistaking |
| you | have been mistaking |
| he/she/it | has been mistaking |
| we | have been mistaking |
| they | have been mistaking |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been mistaking them for each other.
- You have been mistaking my words.
- She has been mistaking people.
- We have been mistaking the signs.
- They have been mistaking our silence.
Past Simple
| I | mistook |
| you | mistook |
| he/she/it | mistook |
| we | mistook |
| they | mistook |
Examples - Past Simple
- I mistook you for your brother.
- You mistook my silence for anger.
- He mistook her for a celebrity.
- We mistook the building for a museum.
- They mistook our friendliness for flirting.
Past Continuous
| I | was mistaking |
| you | were mistaking |
| he/she/it | was mistaking |
| we | were mistaking |
| they | were mistaking |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was mistaking you for someone else.
- You were mistaking my intentions.
- She was mistaking him for his twin.
- We were mistaking the symptoms.
- They were mistaking our motives.
Past Perfect
| I | had mistaken |
| you | had mistaken |
| he/she/it | had mistaken |
| we | had mistaken |
| they | had mistaken |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had mistaken her for her sister.
- You had mistaken my meaning.
- He had mistaken the address.
- We had mistaken the situation.
- They had mistaken our intentions.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been mistaking |
| you | had been mistaking |
| he/she/it | had been mistaking |
| we | had been mistaking |
| they | had been mistaking |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been mistaking them for years.
- You had been mistaking my words.
- She had been mistaking people.
- We had been mistaking the signs.
- They had been mistaking our position.
Future Simple
| I | will mistake |
| you | will mistake |
| he/she/it | will mistake |
| we | will mistake |
| they | will mistake |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will mistake you for him again.
- You will mistake my intentions.
- He will mistake her for someone else.
- We will mistake the location.
- They will mistake our purpose.
Future Continuous
| I | will be mistaking |
| you | will be mistaking |
| he/she/it | will be mistaking |
| we | will be mistaking |
| they | will be mistaking |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be mistaking people for each other.
- You will be mistaking my words.
- She will be mistaking twins.
- We will be mistaking the signs.
- They will be mistaking our intentions.
Future Perfect
| I | will have mistaken |
| you | will have mistaken |
| he/she/it | will have mistaken |
| we | will have mistaken |
| they | will have mistaken |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have mistaken someone by then.
- You will have mistaken my meaning.
- He will have mistaken her for another.
- We will have mistaken the address.
- They will have mistaken our motives.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been mistaking |
| you | will have been mistaking |
| he/she/it | will have been mistaking |
| we | will have been mistaking |
| they | will have been mistaking |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been mistaking them for years.
- You will have been mistaking my words.
- She will have been mistaking people.
- We will have been mistaking the signs.
- They will have been mistaking our intentions.