adjectiveverb
vergessen
forget
Etwas nicht mehr im Gedächtnis haben oder sich an etwas nicht mehr erinnern können.
Meaning(s)
- To not remember something anymore
- Ich habe seinen Namen vergessen. — “I forgot his name.”
- To leave something behind / fail to take something with you
- Ich habe mein Handy zu Hause vergessen. — “I left my phone at home.”
Parts / word structure
- ver- (prefix): often changes or intensifies the meaning of the base verb; in many verbs it can indicate a change of state or an (unintended) negative outcome.
- -gessen: not a separable part in modern German; historically related to an older verb meaning “to remember/think of.”
- Conjugation note: vergessen is a strong verb:
- ich vergesse (present), ich vergaß (simple past), ich habe vergessen (past participle)
German synonyms (depending on meaning)
- For “to forget (mentally)”:
- sich nicht erinnern
- nicht mehr wissen
- aus dem Gedächtnis verlieren
- For “to leave behind”:
- liegen lassen
- zurücklassen
German antonyms (depending on meaning)
- For “to forget”:
- (sich) erinnern
- (sich) merken
- im Gedächtnis behalten
- For “to leave behind”:
- mitnehmen
- einpacken (when packing things and not forgetting them)
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Examples
Ich vergesse oft meine Schlüssel.verb
I often forget my keys.
Du hast dein Buch vergessen.verb
You forgot your book.
Du hast dein Passwort vergessen.verb
You have forgotten your password.
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