わすれる

§ What does "wasureu" mean?

Definition

To forget.

The Japanese verb わすれる (wasureu) means "to forget." It's a really common verb you'll hear and use often in daily conversations. You can use it when you forget information, things, or even appointments. It's a straightforward verb, but there are a few nuances to be aware of.

When you forget something, you are the one doing the forgetting. So, the subject of the sentence will be the person who forgot. The thing that is forgotten is usually marked with the particle を (o).

Here, ペン (pen) is what was forgotten, and it's marked with を. The verb わすれる is in its past polite form, 忘れました (wasuremashita).

§ When do people use "wasureu"?

You use わすれる in many different situations. Here are some common ones:

• Forgetting physical items: This is probably the most common use. You leave something behind, or you can't remember where you put it.

• Forgetting information or facts: When a piece of knowledge slips your mind.

• Forgetting appointments or plans: If you miss something because you didn't remember it.

• Forgetting about troubles or worries: You can also use it in a more abstract sense, like forgetting your worries.

The verb わすれる is a regular ーる (ru) verb. This means its conjugation is pretty straightforward. For example, the plain past form is 忘れた (wasureta). The polite form is 忘れます (wasuremasu). The polite past form is 忘れました (wasuremashita).

§ Common mistakes to avoid

One common mistake English speakers make is confusing わすれる (wasureu - to forget) with なくす (nakusu - to lose). While they can sometimes overlap in meaning, there's a key difference:

• わすれる (wasureu): Implies that you simply didn't remember to bring something, or its location slipped your mind. The item still exists, you just forgot about it or where it is.
• なくす (nakusu): Implies that the item is actually lost, perhaps irretrievably. You might have forgotten it, and now it's lost, but なくす focuses on the state of being lost.

Another point to remember is that わすれる is usually used when the forgetting is unintentional. If you intentionally try to put something out of your mind, there are other expressions you might use, though わすれる can still sometimes apply in that context too.

Mastering わすれる is crucial for expressing yourself naturally in Japanese. Pay attention to the particle を, and you'll be well on your way to using this verb correctly in various situations.

§ Basic Usage of わすれる

わすれる (wasureru) means "to forget." It's a common verb you'll use a lot. It's a ichidan (ru-verb), which means its conjugation pattern is straightforward. Let's look at its basic forms first.

Polite Form (ます-form)

わすれます (wasuremasu) - to forget (polite)

Past Tense

わすれた (wasureta) - forgot (plain)

わすれました (wasuremashita) - forgot (polite)

§ Forgetting Objects or Information

When you forget an object or a piece of information, you typically use the direct object particle を (o) after the thing you forgot.

Hint

I forgot my key.

Hint

I forgot his name.

§ Forgetting to Do Something

When you forget to do an action, you use the て-form of the verb you forgot to do, followed by しまう (shimau) in its past tense, しまった (shimatta), and then わすれる (wasureru). However, a more common and natural way is to use the verb you forgot to do in its negative plain form (ない-form) followed by のを (no o) or ことを (koto o) and then わすれる (wasureru).

Let's simplify. You often say "I forgot to [verb]" like this:

• Verb in plain negative form (～ない) + のを/ことを + わすれる

Hint

I forgot not to do my homework. (Less common, usually meaning I forgot that I shouldn't do it).

More commonly, you'd want to say you forgot TO DO something. In this case, you use the plain past tense of the verb (た-form) + のを/ことを + わすれる (wasureru) when you forgot about the *act* of doing it.

Hint

I forgot to turn off the light.

Hint

I forgot to send the email.

§ わすれる and なくす (nakusu)

It's important to distinguish わすれる from なくす (nakusu), which means "to lose." While both involve something being gone, the nuance is different.

わすれる (wasureru)

Means you mentally forgot something or left something behind unintentionally (e.g., forgot your umbrella at home).

なくす (nakusu)

Means you lost something and can't find it (e.g., your wallet fell out of your pocket). You usually actively searched for it and couldn't find it.

Hint

I forgot my umbrella at home (left it behind).

Hint

I lost my wallet.

§ Mistakes people make with わすれる

Many English speakers learning Japanese get confused with how to properly use わすれる (wasureru) because it can mean a few different things depending on the context. Let's clear up the most common mistakes so you can use it like a pro.

The biggest pitfall is mixing up "to forget (an item)" with "to forget (to do something)." While both use わすれる, the grammatical structure changes, and this is where learners often trip up.

DEFINITION

To forget an item (e.g., your wallet, a book).

When you forget an item, you usually use the particle を (o) with the item. This is straightforward.

DEFINITION

To forget to do something (e.g., to turn off the light, to send an email).

This is where it gets a bit trickier. When you forget to do an action, you need to use the plain form of the verb + のを (の o) or ことを (koto o) before わすれる.

Another common error is confusing わすれる (wasureru) with なくす (nakusu), which means "to lose." While both imply something is no longer with you, わすれる specifically means you *forgot* it, often implying it might still be recoverable where you left it. なくす means it's gone, often permanently lost.

• カバンを忘れました (Kaban o wasuremashita).
  I forgot my bag (e.g., at home, on the train).

• カバンをなくしました (Kaban o nakushimashita).
  I lost my bag.

The difference is subtle but important for conveying the correct meaning. Think of わすれる as an action of the mind (forgetting), and なくす as an event (losing).

Finally, some learners mistakenly use わすれる when they mean "to forget how to do something" or "to unlearn." For this, you would typically use やり方を忘れる (yarikata o wasureru - to forget the way of doing) or just express the inability to do something rather than direct forgetting.

Keep these distinctions in mind, and your use of わすれる will be much more natural and accurate!

Let's talk about the Japanese verb わすれる (wasureru). It means 'to forget.' While straightforward, understanding its nuances and how it differs from similar words is crucial for sounding natural.

§ Basic Meaning of わすれる

わすれる is your go-to verb for forgetting things. This can be anything from forgetting an object, an appointment, or even a memory.

DEFINITION

To forget.

Translation hint: I forgot my pen.

Translation hint: Please don't forget the appointment.

§ わすれる vs. なくす

This is where it gets interesting. While both can relate to losing something, their core meanings are different.

• わすれる (wasureru): To forget something, meaning it slipped your mind or you left it behind unintentionally. The item still exists, you just don't have it with you.
• なくす (nakusu): To lose something, meaning it's gone and you don't know where it is. It implies a stronger sense of loss or disappearance.

Translation hint: I forgot my umbrella at the station (it's still there, I just left it).

Translation hint: I lost my wallet (it's gone, I don't know where it is).

§ わすれる vs. おきわすれる

Sometimes you'll hear おきわすれる (okiwawasureu). This is a more specific form of forgetting.

• おきわすれる (okiwawasureu): To leave something behind. It specifically refers to forgetting an object by leaving it somewhere.

Translation hint: I left my book at the cafe.

§ When to use わすれる

Use わすれる in these common situations:

• Forgetting information or memories:

  彼の名前を忘れました。

  Translation hint: I forgot his name.

• Forgetting appointments or plans:

  誕生日を忘れていました。

  Translation hint: I had forgotten her birthday.

• Forgetting to bring an item (leaving it behind):

  宿題を家に忘れました。

  Translation hint: I forgot my homework at home.

In summary, わすれる is your general 'to forget.' Use なくす when something is truly lost, and おきわすれる when you specifically leave something behind. Practice these distinctions, and you'll sound more natural in your Japanese conversations!