Usage and Nuances
The verb 忘れる (わすれる) means "to forget" and is commonly used in everyday conversation. It can refer to forgetting information, objects, promises, or events. When used with しまう (as in 忘れてしまう), it expresses regret or that the forgetting was unintentional.
Common Collocations
- 宿題を忘れる (しゅくだいをわすれる): to forget homework
- 約束を忘れる (やくそくをわすれる): to forget a promise
- 名前を忘れる (なまえをわすれる): to forget a name
Politeness and Register
忘れる is a neutral verb and can be used in both casual and polite speech. To make it polite, add ます form: 忘れます.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 忘れる with 覚える (おぼえる, "to remember"). Remember that 忘れる means to lose memory of something, while 覚える means to commit something to memory.
Tips
Use 忘れる when you want to express that you failed to remember something or left something behind unintentionally. Adding しまう after 忘れる emphasizes the speaker's regret or the accidental nature of forgetting.