vergessen
to forget (a fact, a person, an event) · to leave something behind · forget it / never mind
Vergessen means 'to forget' – not remembering something or leaving something behind. It is used for both facts and objects, and in the imperative it can also mean 'forget it' or 'never mind'.
What vergessen means
- to forget (a fact, a person, an event) — when you cannot remember something
- to leave something behind — when you accidentally don't take something with you
- forget it / never mind — in the imperative, to dismiss a topic
Heard in real German videos
Lines where vergessen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Haben wir irgendwas vergessen?Did we forget anything?
- Oh, das hätte ich fast vergessen.Oh, I almost forgot that.
- Vergiss nicht, wir sind zwei gegen einen.Don't forget, it's two against one.
Example sentences
- Ich habe seinen Namen vergessen.I have forgotten his name.
- Vergiss nicht, den Schlüssel mitzunehmen.Don't forget to take the key with you.
- Er vergaß, das Licht auszumachen.He forgot to turn off the light.
- Das kannst du vergessen!You can forget that!
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | vergesse / vergisst / vergisst |
|---|---|
| Simple past | vergaß |
| Perfect | hat vergessen |
| Separable | no |
| Case | accusative (direct object) |
The perfect tense is formed with 'haben': Ich habe vergessen. The past participle is 'vergessen' (same as infinitive).
Common phrases
- etwas vergessento forget something
- vergiss es!forget it!
- sich vergessento forget oneself (lose self-control)
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often use the wrong auxiliary: they say 'Ich bin vergessen' instead of 'Ich habe vergessen'. Always use 'haben' with vergessen.
Don’t confuse it with
- verlieren — Verlieren means 'to lose' (something is gone and you don't know where), while vergessen means 'to forget' (you don't remember or you left it somewhere).
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 'vergessen' and 'sich erinnern'?
Vergessen means 'to forget', while 'sich erinnern' means 'to remember'. They are opposites.
How do you say 'I forgot' in German?
You say 'Ich habe vergessen' (perfect) or 'Ich vergaß' (simple past, less common in spoken German).
Is 'vergessen' a separable verb?
No, 'vergessen' is not separable. The prefix 'ver-' is never separated from the stem.