Spanish grammar · Beginner
Recordar Conjugation: Every Tense with Examples
Recordar means to remember. Stem-changing o→ue: recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recordamos, recordáis, recuerdan. Don't confuse with acordarse (de algo) = to remember (something), reflexive form.
Recuerdo a mi abuela.
I remember my grandmother.
What it is
Recordar means to remember. Stem-change o→ue in stressed forms: recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recuerdan. Nosotros and vosotros stay regular. Common confusion: recordar takes a direct object (recuerdo a María); acordarse takes de (me acuerdo de María).
Recuerdo a mi abuela (I remember my grandmother). Me acuerdo de mi abuela (same meaning, reflexive form).
How to spot it
Boot verb o→ue. Yo: recuerdo. Direct object structure: recuerdo algo / a alguien. Subjunctive: recuerde.
- Recuerdo todo. — I remember everything.
- ¿Recuerdas su nombre? — Do you remember his name?
- Te recordaré siempre. — I'll always remember you.
Same stem-change family as encontrar, volver, poder, dormir. The 'boot' shape (stem-change in yo/tú/él/ellos, regular in nosotros/vosotros).
Recordar Conjugation Quick Reference
Recordar at a glance
| Person | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | recuerdo | recordé | recordaba | recordaré | recuerde |
| tú | recuerdas | recordaste | recordabas | recordarás | recuerdes |
| él/ella/Ud. | recuerda | recordó | recordaba | recordará | recuerde |
| nosotros | recordamos | recordamos | recordábamos | recordaremos | recordemos |
| vosotros | recordáis | recordasteis | recordabais | recordaréis | recordéis |
| ellos/Uds. | recuerdan | recordaron | recordaban | recordarán | recuerden |
Common Recordar Conjugation Examples in Spanish
Recordar across uses:
Remembering People / Things
- Recuerdo a mi abuela.
- I remember my grandmother.
- Recordamos esos días.
- We remember those days.
- ¿Recuerdas el restaurante?
- Do you remember the restaurant?
- No recuerdo dónde lo dejé.
- I don't remember where I left it.
Recordar takes a direct object. With people, use personal a: recuerdo a María.
Reminding (Recordar + Indirect Object)
- Te recuerdo que tenemos una reunión.
- I remind you we have a meeting.
- Me recuerda a mi padre.
- He reminds me of my father.
- Esto me recuerda algo.
- This reminds me of something.
- Recuérdame llamarla.
- Remind me to call her.
Recordar + indirect object pronoun = to remind. Me recuerda = it reminds me. Te recuerdo = I remind you.
Remembering Information / Facts
- No recuerdo su nombre.
- I don't remember her name.
- Recordó la respuesta justo a tiempo.
- He remembered the answer just in time.
- Recuerdo la fecha exacta.
- I remember the exact date.
- Trata de recordar lo que pasó.
- Try to remember what happened.
Recordar for factual / informational recall.
Subjunctive Triggers
- Espero que recuerdes nuestra promesa.
- I hope you remember our promise.
- Quiero que recuerdes esto siempre.
- I want you to remember this always.
- Es importante que recordemos las fechas.
- It's important we remember the dates.
- No creo que recuerde mi cara.
- I don't think she remembers my face.
Subjunctive keeps the boot shape: recuerde, recuerdes, recuerde, recordemos, recordéis, recuerden.
How to Conjugate Recordar Across Tenses
Present, Stem Change o→ue
Boot verb: recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recordamos, recordáis, recuerdan. Stress falls on first syllable in yo/tú/él/ellos forms (triggering ue).
Recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recordamos, recordáis, recuerdan.
I remember, you remember, etc.
Boot: o→ue when stressed.
Preterite, Fully Regular
No stem change in preterite: recordé, recordaste, recordó, recordamos, recordasteis, recordaron. Standard -ar preterite.
Recordé tu cumpleaños.
I remembered your birthday.
Preterite is regular.
Subjunctive, Stem Change Preserved
Recuerde, recuerdes, recuerde, recordemos, recordéis, recuerden. Same boot shape as present.
Espero que recuerdes.
I hope you remember.
Boot also in subjunctive.
Compound Tenses
Past participle recordado is regular. He recordado, había recordado, etc.
He recordado todo.
I've remembered everything.
Regular past participle.
Common Mistakes with Recordar Conjugation
Incorrect: Yo recordo todo. — I remember everything.
Correct: Yo recuerdo todo. — I remember everything.
Stem-changing o→ue in stressed forms. Yo form is recuerdo (NOT *recordo).
Incorrect: Me recuerdo de mi abuela. — I remember my grandmother.
Correct: Recuerdo a mi abuela. / Me acuerdo de mi abuela. — I remember my grandmother.
Recordar uses direct object (recuerdo a + person). Acordarse uses de (me acuerdo de + person). Don't mix: *me recuerdo de is wrong.
Incorrect: Nosotros recuerdamos los buenos tiempos. — We remember the good times.
Correct: Nosotros recordamos los buenos tiempos. — We remember the good times.
Nosotros stays regular (no stem change): recordamos. Boot verb pattern leaves nosotros / vosotros untouched.
Recordar Across Every Tense
Boot verb: o→ue in stressed forms of present and subjunctive.
Present (Boot)
o→ue in stressed forms.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Boot shape.
Preterite (Regular)
Standard -ar preterite, no stem change.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
No stem change.
Imperfect (Regular)
Standard -ar imperfect.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Regular.
Future / Conditional / Subjunctive / Compound
Future / cond. regular. Subj. keeps boot shape.
| yo (future) |
| yo (conditional) |
| yo (present subjunctive) |
| yo (present perfect) |
Past participle recordado regular.
Recordar Conjugation FAQs
- What does recordar mean?
- Recordar means to remember. Use for: remembering people / things / facts (recuerdo a María, recuerdo la fecha). With indirect object pronoun = to remind (te recuerdo que = I remind you that).
- How do you conjugate recordar in the present?
- Recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recordamos, recordáis, recuerdan. Stem changes o→ue in stressed forms (yo, tú, él, ellos). Nosotros and vosotros stay regular.
- What's the difference between recordar and acordarse?
- Both mean to remember. Recordar takes a direct object: Recuerdo a María (no preposition). Acordarse takes de: Me acuerdo de María (with de). They're interchangeable in meaning but have different syntactic structures.
- How do you say 'remind' in Spanish?
- Use recordar with an indirect object pronoun: Te recuerdo (I remind you), me recuerda (it reminds me / he reminds me). Recordar + IO + que / a / infinitive = to remind someone of / to / about.
- How can I master recordar?
- Drill the boot shape (recuerdo / recuerdas / recuerda / recuerdan). Distinguish recordar (DO) from acordarse de (reflexive + de). Practice with personal a for people. Parrot's videos show recordar in natural memory / nostalgia contexts.