Einwechseln

Einwechseln is a German verb meaning to bring a substitute into a game by replacing a player who is on the field. In sports usage it denotes the act of introducing a player from the bench into the match, so that the substituted player leaves the field. The noun commonly used in this context is die Einwechslung, and the player who comes on is referred to as der eingewechselte Spieler.

In practice, einwechseln is most closely associated with football (soccer) but is also used in other team sports where substitutions are allowed. The coach or team official designates a substitute, who then enters the field during a stoppage or on a written substitution return, while the outgoing player departs. The substitution is usually recorded in the match report as an Einwechslung.

Grammatically, einwechseln is a separable prefix verb. Conjugation in the Präsens: ich wechsle ein, du wechselst ein, er/sie/es wechselt ein, wir wechseln ein, ihr wechselt ein, sie wechseln ein. Präteritum: ich wechselte ein; Perfekt: ich habe eingewechselt (or ich habe eingewechselt), with passive forms like er wurde eingewechselt. The past participle is eingewechselt, and the action can be described with phrases such as “Der Trainer hat ihn eingewechselt.”

Related terms include Auswechslung (substitution of a player leaving the field) and Einwechslung as the act or result of bringing a substitute into a game. The concept is central to tactics and game management in many competitive sports.