olvidarse

Olvidarse is a Spanish reflexive verb derived from olvidar. It denotes forgetting, often with a nuance of inadvertence, lapse, or neglect. The reflexive form emphasizes that the forgetting concerns the subject’s own memory or actions, and it is commonly used with the preposition de to introduce the thing forgotten.

Conjugation and usage. In present tense: me olvido, te olvidas, se olvida, nos olvidamos, os olvidáis, se olvidan. In the preterite: me olvidé, te olvidaste, se olvidó, nos olvidamos, os olvidasteis, se olvidaron. The imperfect: me olvidaba, te olvidabas, se olvidaba, nos olvidábamos, os olvidabais, se olvidaban. A frequent construction is se me olvidó or se me olvidaron, a pattern used for accidental or involuntary forgetfulness: Se me olvidó llamar; Se me olvidaron las llaves.

With de and infinitive. Olvidarse commonly takes de plus a noun or a verb in the infinitive: me olvidé de la cita; se me olvidó pagar la cuenta. Also, you can use olvidar with a direct object in non-reflexive form for a more deliberate forgetfulness, while olvidarse (reflexive) tends to convey lapse or negligence.

Nuances and synonyms. Olvidar is the neutral verb meaning “to forget.” Olvidarse adds a sense of the speaker’s unintended lapse, often implying that the forgetting was unintentional or embarrassing. The phrase no me acordé is sometimes used interchangeably in casual speech, though acordarse is a related verb meaning “to remember.”

Examples. Me olvidé de tu cumpleaños. Se me olvidó llamar a la profesora. El paraguas se me olvidó en casa. No nos olvidaremos de la cita; la memoria es imperfecta.