Introduction
Learning small conversational phrases helps you sound natural in Brazilian Portuguese and keeps conversations flowing. One useful phrase is how to say that a comment or situation suddenly makes you remember something. This article explains natural ways to say that in Brazilian Portuguese, when to use each option, and gives plenty of examples and short dialogues for beginner to intermediate learners.
Common ways to say that reminds me
There are several natural expressions in Brazilian Portuguese to convey the idea of that reminds me. The most direct and commonly used is isso me lembra. Other natural alternatives include falando nisso, isso me faz lembrar, and casual phrases like ah, que bom que você falou or agora que você falou. Each one fits slightly different conversational situations.
isso me lembra — the direct translation
isso me lembra is a straightforward, safe choice. Use it when something you heard or saw triggers a memory or association. It works for formal and informal contexts.
Examples:
Isso me lembra a festa do ano passado.
Isso me lembra quando eu morava no Rio de Janeiro.
isso me faz lembrar — slightly more vivid
isso me faz lembrar is similar to isso me lembra, but adds a nuance that the situation actively caused the memory. It can sound a bit more expressive.
Examples:
Essa música isso me faz lembrar das férias com minha família.
Ver essas fotos isso me faz lembrar da nossa viagem.
falando nisso — start a related thought
falando nisso is an idiomatic and very common phrase used to pivot from one topic to something related that you remembered. It literally means speaking of that or speaking of which, and it often precedes a new comment or question connected to the previous topic.
Usage notes:
Use falando nisso when you want to smoothly change the subject to something relevant that just came to mind. It is informal and excellent for conversation.
Examples:
Falando nisso, você já comprou o presente do João?
Falando nisso, lembra daquele restaurante perto do parque?
agora que você falou — reactive memory
agora que você falou means now that you mentioned it and is often used right after someone brings up a topic that triggers your memory. It is common in casual conversation and adds a friendly tone.
Examples:
Agora que você falou, eu realmente preciso ver aquele filme.
Agora que você falou, esqueci de devolver o livro à Maria.
ah, que bom que você falou — grateful reminder
ah, que bom que você falou is a warmer expression. Use it when you appreciate that someone said something because it helped you remember an important task, appointment, or idea.
Examples:
Ah, que bom que você falou, eu ia esquecer a reunião.
Ah, que bom que você falou, tenho que ligar para minha mãe.
Short dialogues showing natural use
Below are short, realistic dialogues that show how Brazilians use these expressions in everyday speech. Each example includes a brief context and the phrase in a natural exchange.
Dialogue 1 — meeting a friend
Person A: Você foi no mercado hoje?
Person B: Sim. Pega pão e leite.
isso me lembra que nós precisamos comprar café também.
Dialogue 2 — remembering an event
Person A: Eu vi fotos da festa do Andrei ontem.
Person B: falando nisso, você vai na comemoração no sábado?
Dialogue 3 — remembering to do something
Person A: Não posso esquecer de pagar a conta de luz.
Person B: ah, que bom que você falou, eu quase esqueci de pagar a minha também.
Dialogue 4 — triggered by a smell or song
Person A: Que cheiro é esse?
Person B: É bolo de banana.
isso me faz lembrar das manhãs na casa da minha avó.
Nuances and when to choose each expression
Choosing the right phrase depends on tone, formality, and how directly you want to link the current topic to the memory.
Short guide:
Use isso me lembra for neutral, direct associations.
Use isso me faz lembrar for a slightly stronger, more immediate association.
Use falando nisso to pivot the conversation to a related subject or ask a question tied to what was just said.
Use agora que você falou when someone else’s comment causes you to remember something important.
Use ah, que bom que você falou when you want to express relief or gratitude for the reminder.
Formality and register
All of these expressions are fine in casual conversation. For more formal contexts, such as business meetings or formal writing, prefer isso me lembra or rephrase the idea with complete sentences, for example: Isso traz à minha memória um ponto importante.
Common verb structures and variations
It helps to understand the verbs involved so you can create variations. The most common verbs are lembrar and lembrar-se. Lembrar often appears with a direct object and an indirect object pronoun.
Examples:
Ele me lembrou do compromisso. — He reminded me of the appointment.
Ela se lembrou do nome. — She remembered the name.
Using object pronouns
In everyday speech, Brazilians often use object pronouns before the verb: me, te, nos, lhe. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, clitic placement is natural in most positions, so you will hear both forms but beginning learners should stick to the simpler pattern: me lembra, me faz lembrar.
Examples:
Você me lembra alguém.
Isso me faz lembrar de estudar para a prova.
Negative and past forms
To say that something did not remind you, use não me lembra or não me fez lembrar. For the past, use lembrou or fez lembrar.
Examples:
Isso não me lembra nada.
Aquela música não me fez lembrar do tempo da escola.
O comentário dele me lembrou do que aconteceu no verão passado.
Pronunciation tips and natural rhythm
Pronunciation matters for sounding natural. Focus on these points:
Pronounce the r in lembrar like an approximate h sound in many Brazilian accents: lembrar sounds like lembah.
falando nisso flows quickly: falan-doh nees-soo. Native speakers link words, so practice them together.
Use natural intonation: rising tone for a question after falando nisso? or falling tone for a statement. Mimic native dialogues to get the rhythm.
Extra examples and short scenarios
Here are more quick examples for different contexts to build familiarity.
At work:
Chefe: Precisamos enviar o relatório.
Você: agora que você falou, eu já preparei os dados.
With friends:
Amigo: Vamos ao cinema sábado?
Você: falando nisso, ouvi que estreou um filme ótimo.
Family memory:
Mãe: Trouxe as fotos da escola.
Filho: isso me lembra quando eu participei da peça.
Common mistakes to avoid
Beginners sometimes translate literally from English and create unnatural phrases. Avoid literal translations like que me lembra or esse me lembra sem contexto. Also watch clitic placement: many learners overcomplicate pronoun use. Keep it simple: isso me lembra, isso me faz lembrar, falando nisso.
False friend alert
Do not confuse lembrar with lembrar-se in a way that sounds archaic; both are correct, but in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, direct forms like me lembra are more common than me lembro in conversational triggers.
Conclusion
Mastering natural ways to say that reminds me in Brazilian Portuguese will help your conversations flow and make you sound more like a native speaker. Use isso me lembra for direct associations, isso me faz lembrar for stronger triggers, falando nisso to pivot topics, and agora que você falou or ah, que bom que você falou to react to someone’s comment. Practice these phrases in short dialogues and listen to native speakers to internalize rhythm and pronunciation.
