Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Remember in Spanish: Recordar & Acordarse De
Recordar · verb (stem-changing o→ue) · rreh-kohr-DAHR
Remember is recordar or acordarse de in Spanish. Both mean the same thing but have different constructions. Recordar is transitive: Recuerdo tu nombre (I remember your name). Acordarse de is reflexive and requires de: Me acuerdo de tu nombre. Both have the stem change o→ue: recuerdo, me acuerdo. The choice between them is largely a matter of register and personal habit.
Recordar is rreh-kohr-DAHR, three syllables, stress on DAHR. The r at the start is rolled (rr sound). Acordarse is ah-kohr-DAHR-seh.
¿Recuerdas cuando fuimos a la playa aquel verano?
Do you remember when we went to the beach that summer?
Remember in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for remember, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| recordar | remember | rreh-kohr-DAHR | Default, widely understood |
| acordarse de | remember | Universal — reflexive form, to remember | |
| memorizar | remember | Universal — to memorize |
How Native Speakers Use Recordar
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Nostalgia
Siempre recuerdo los veranos en casa de mis abuelos.
I always remember the summers at my grandparents' house.
Recordar takes a direct object with no preposition. The stem change gives recuerdo in the yo form.
Forgetting something
No me acuerdo de dónde dejé las llaves.
I don't remember where I left the keys.
Acordarse de requires the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se) and the preposition de. Forgetting de is a common learner error.
Reminding someone
Recuérdame que tengo que llamar al doctor mañana.
Remind me that I have to call the doctor tomorrow.
Recordar also means 'to remind' when it has an indirect object: recordarle algo a alguien (to remind someone of something).
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Recordar
Forgetting de with acordarse
Incorrect: No me acuerdo eso.
Correct: No me acuerdo de eso.
Acordarse always requires de before the object: acordarse de algo. Dropping de is a frequent error, especially for English speakers who do not need a preposition after 'remember.'
Skipping the stem change
Incorrect: Yo recordo tu dirección.
Correct: Yo recuerdo tu dirección.
Recordar has an o→ue stem change in the present tense: recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recuerdan. Only nosotros (recordamos) and vosotros (recordáis) keep the o.
Lock in Remember Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Recordar used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using recordar in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear ¿Recuerdas cuando fuimos a la playa aquel verano? while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Remember in Spanish
- What is the difference between recordar and acordarse de?
- They mean the same thing — to remember. Recordar is transitive (Recuerdo tu cara). Acordarse de is reflexive and needs de (Me acuerdo de tu cara). Recordar sounds slightly more formal; acordarse de is more colloquial. Both are correct everywhere.
- Can recordar mean 'to remind'?
- Recordar pulls double duty as both 'to remember' and 'to remind.' Recuérdame que... means 'Remind me to...' With an indirect object, it shifts to the reminder sense: Le recordé la cita (I reminded him/her of the appointment). Context and sentence structure determine which meaning applies.
- How do I say 'I can't remember' in Spanish?
- No recuerdo or No me acuerdo. For emphasis: No logro recordar (I can't manage to remember) or Se me olvidó (It slipped my mind / I forgot).