Sammanblanda

Sammanblanda is a Swedish verb that means to mix together or to confuse by mixing. It can describe physically combining substances as well as blending different ideas, concepts, or elements into a single whole. In a figurative sense, sammanblanda implies that distinctions between things are blurred or lost when they are mixed.

Etymology and forms: The word is built from samman-, meaning together, and blanda, meaning to blend or mix. It is usually written as sammanblanda, but the two‑word form blanda samman is also used, especially in older or more formal styles. The typical active construction is att sammanblanda A med B (“to mix A with B”) or att sammanblanda begrepp, idéer eller fakta.

Usage and nuance: When applied to physical mixing, sammanblanda emphasizes creating a single mixture. Figuratively, it signals that the differences between concepts, facts or terms have been obscured or conflated. The term can carry a critical tone if the conflation is seen as inappropriate or misleading. A closely related expression is blanda samman, which conveys a similar idea and is often interchangeable, with slight stylistic differences.

Examples: Det är viktigt att inte sammanblanda begreppen sanning och tro. Forskaren var noga med att inte sammanblanda data med spekulationer. Hon blandade samman olika färger till en ny nyans.

See also: sammanblandning (the act of mixing together or confusion), blanda ihop.