Introduction
Learning how to express remembering and forgetting is essential for everyday Portuguese conversation. This article explains how to use the verbs lembrar and esquecer in Brazilian Portuguese for beginners, with clear grammar rules, common phrases, and practical examples you can use in real life.
- Basic meanings and translations
- Principal forms beginners need
- How to say I remember and I forgot
- Using lembrar with an object versus lembrar-se
- Using esquecer with object and esquecer-se
- Negation and questions
- Common phrases and expressions with lembrar and esquecer
- Using lembrar and esquecer with prepositions
- Short dialogues for practice
- Common beginner mistakes and tips to avoid them
- Practice exercises for beginners
- Extra useful vocabulary
- Pronunciation tips for beginners
- Real-life situations to use these verbs
- Quick reference cheat sheet
- Conclusion
Basic meanings and translations
The verb lembrar means to remember, to recall, or to remind someone. It can be used reflexively or with an object. The verb esquecer means to forget. Both verbs are irregular in some tenses and are frequently used in everyday speech.
Simple English equivalents
lembrar = to remember, to remind
esquecer = to forget
Principal forms beginners need
Start with the present, past (pretérito perfeito), and the infinitive. Below are the most useful forms for everyday conversation in Brazilian Portuguese.
Important conjugations
Present indicative of lembrar: eu lembro, você lembra, ele/ela lembra, nós lembramos, vocês lembram, eles/elas lembram
Present indicative of esquecer: eu esqueço, você esquece, ele/ela esquece, nós esquecemos, vocês esquecem, eles/elas esquecem
Pretérito perfeito of lembrar: eu lembrei, você lembrou, nós lembramos
Pretérito perfeito of esquecer: eu esqueci, você esqueceu, nós esquecemos
How to say I remember and I forgot
Beginner learners often want quick, usable phrases. Here are common, natural expressions and short explanations.
Eu lembro = I remember. Use to say you recall something now.
Eu lembrei = I remembered. Use to say you remembered something at a specific moment.
Eu esqueço = I forget. Use to describe a habitual problem or something you tend to forget.
Eu esqueci = I forgot. Use for a completed action in the past.
Examples in context
Eu lembro daquele restaurante.
I remember that restaurant.
Ontem eu lembrei do aniversário dela.
Yesterday I remembered her birthday.
Eu sempre esqueço as chaves.
I always forget the keys.
Desculpe, eu esqueci o documento em casa.
Sorry, I forgot the document at home.
Using lembrar with an object versus lembrar-se
Lembrar can be transitive (with a direct object) or pronominal (reflexive) as lembrar-se. Both constructions are common in Brazilian Portuguese. The meaning is similar but there is a small difference in focus.
Transitive usar (direct object)
Eu lembro o nome dele.
I remember his name. (direct object: o nome)
Você lembra a senha?
Do you remember the password?
Pronominal usar
Eu me lembro dele.
I remember him. (emphasis on the memory itself)
Ela se lembra daquela música?
Does she remember that song?
Using esquecer with object and esquecer-se
Like lembrar, esquecer can be used with an object or reflexively. The most common beginner patterns are similar to English.
Direct object examples
Eu esqueci a resposta.
I forgot the answer.
Ele esqueceu o compromisso.
He forgot the appointment.
Reflexive examples
Eu me esqueci do horário.
I forgot about the schedule. (common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese)
Nós nos esquecemos de avisar.
We forgot to warn/notify.
Negation and questions
Forming negative sentences and questions is straightforward. Use não before the verb for negation and invert word order or use question words for questions.
Negation examples
Eu não lembro.
I don’t remember.
Ele não esqueceu nada.
He didn’t forget anything.
Question examples
Você lembra onde é a estação?
Do you remember where the station is?
Quando você esqueceu isso?
When did you forget this?
Common phrases and expressions with lembrar and esquecer
These set phrases are useful in daily life: on the phone, in shops, or when making plans.
Lembrar de = to remember to do something or to recall someone/something
Esquecer de = to forget to do something
Useful everyday expressions
Vou lembrar de ligar mais tarde.
I will remember to call later.
Não esqueça de trazer seu documento.
Don’t forget to bring your document.
Me lembra às 8 horas?
Can you remind me at 8 o’clock?
Esqueci de pagar a conta.
I forgot to pay the bill.
Using lembrar and esquecer with prepositions
Frequently used prepositions include de and em. Understanding them helps make correct sentences.
Lembrar de + infinitive: Lembrar de fazer algo = to remember to do something
Exemplo: Lembrei de comprar pão.
I remembered to buy bread.
Esquecer de + infinitive: Esquecer de fazer algo = to forget to do something
Exemplo: Esqueci de ligar para minha mãe.
I forgot to call my mother.
Lembrar-se de + noun or pronoun: to recall something/someone
Exemplo: Lembro-me das férias.
I remember the holidays.
Esquecer-se de + noun or pronoun: to forget something/someone
Exemplo: Ele se esqueceu do nome.
He forgot the name.
Short dialogues for practice
Practical mini-dialogues help you see patterns and timing. Read them aloud to practice pronunciation and flow.
A: Você lembra do horário do filme?
B: Sim, começa às 19h30.
A: Ótimo, não esqueço dessa vez.
B: Eu também não.
A: Você pagou a conta de luz?
B: Acho que esqueci.
A: Então liga para a companhia.
B: Já vou ligar agora.
Common beginner mistakes and tips to avoid them
Beginners often confuse usar with se-forms or mix up prepositions. Here are practical tips to avoid typical errors.
Mistake: Using lembrar without preposition when you mean lembrar de + infinitive. Correct: Lembrei de comprar, not Lembrei comprar.
Mistake: Using esquecer with wrong object pronoun position. Correct: Eu me esqueci DO compromisso, not Eu me esqueci O compromisso.
Tip: When saying forget to do something, always use esquecer de + infinitive. Example: Esqueci de estudar.
Tip: When reminding someone, you can use lembrar alguém de algo. Example: Lembre-me de comprar leite or Me lembra de comprar leite.
Practice exercises for beginners
Use these simple fill-in and transformation exercises to internalize patterns. Try to translate and speak aloud.
Translate to Portuguese: I forgot the umbrella.
Answer: Eu esqueci o guarda-chuva.
Change to past tense: Eu lembro a senha.
Answer: Eu lembrei a senha.
Make a reminder sentence: Don’t forget to water the plants.
Answer: Não esqueça de regar as plantas.
Extra useful vocabulary
lembrança = memory, souvenir
lembrete = reminder, note
lembrar-se = to remember (pronominal)
esquecimento = forgetting, lapse of memory
Pronunciation tips for beginners
Pronounce lembrar as lehm-BRAHR (approximation) with a soft r in the middle and a tapped r at the end in many Brazilian accents. Esquecer sounds like es-keh-SEHR with stress on the last syllable.
Practice by repeating short phrases aloud: Eu lembro, Eu esqueci, Não esqueça.
Real-life situations to use these verbs
Travel: Asking for directions or remembering times. Example: Você lembra onde fica a estação?
Shopping: Remembering lists or forgetting items. Example: Esqueci a lista de compras.
Work or school: Deadlines and appointments. Example: Não esqueça a reunião de amanhã.
Quick reference cheat sheet
Present: eu lembro / eu esqueço
Past: eu lembrei / eu esqueci
Infinitive phrases: lembrar de + infinitive, esquecer de + infinitive
Pronominal: lembrar-se, esquecer-se
Conclusion
Mastering lembrar and esquecer gives you practical tools for everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Focus on the common conjugations, remember to use de + infinitive for actions, practice simple dialogues, and avoid common mistakes listed above. With targeted practice you will feel confident using these verbs in travel, work, and daily conversations.
