acordarvsacordarse de
/ah-kor-DAR/
/ah-kor-DAR-seh deh/
💡 Quick Rule
Acordar = to agree. Acordarse de = to remember.
You're in 'accord' when you AGREE. You remember the 'de'tails when you REMEMBER.
- The verb 'recordar' also means 'to remember' but does NOT use 'de'. 'Recuerdo el día' and 'Me acuerdo del día' both mean 'I remember the day'.
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | acordar | acordarse de | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action vs. Memory | Acordamos el precio. | Me acuerdo del precio. | 'Acordar' is the action of deciding the price. 'Acordarse de' is the mental act of recalling it. |
| Group vs. Individual | El equipo acordó la estrategia. | Él se acuerda de la estrategia. | 'Acordar' implies a group consensus. 'Acordarse de' is about an individual's memory. |
| Making Plans | Acordamos la fecha de la boda. | No me acuerdo de la fecha. | Use 'acordar' for setting the plan and 'acordarse de' for remembering the plan later. |
✅ When to Use "acordar" / acordarse de
acordar
To agree on, to decide, or to resolve something, usually between two or more people.
/ah-kor-DAR/
To agree on something
Acordamos vernos a las ocho.
We agreed to meet at eight.
To decide something as a group
El comité acordó la nueva política.
The committee decided on the new policy.
To resolve a negotiation
Acordaron un aumento de sueldo.
They agreed upon a pay raise.
acordarse de
To remember or to recall something from memory. It's a reflexive verb and almost always needs 'de'.
/ah-kor-DAR-seh deh/
To remember a person or fact
¿Te acuerdas de mi amigo Juan?
Do you remember my friend Juan?
To recall an event
Me acuerdo de ese día perfectamente.
I remember that day perfectly.
To remember to do something
Acuérdate de comprar leche.
Remember to buy milk.
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "acordar":
Acordamos la próxima reunión para el lunes.
We agreed on the next meeting for Monday.
With "acordarse de":
Me acuerdo de que la próxima reunión es el lunes.
I remember that the next meeting is on Monday.
The Difference: 'Acordar' is the action of setting the date together. 'Acordarse de' is the mental act of recalling the date that was set.
With "acordar":
Acordamos no decir nada.
We agreed not to say anything.
With "acordarse de":
Acuérdate de no decir nada.
Remember not to say anything.
The Difference: 'Acordamos' describes a pact made between people. 'Acuérdate de' is a command or reminder given to one person.
🎨 Visual Comparison
'Acordar' is about making a deal together. 'Acordarse de' is about remembering something yourself.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Yo acuerdo su nombre.
Yo me acuerdo de su nombre.
To say 'I remember', you must use the reflexive form 'me acuerdo' and add the preposition 'de'.
Nos acordamos de ir al cine.
Acordamos ir al cine.
If you mean 'we agreed' to do something, use the non-reflexive 'acordamos'. 'Nos acordamos' means 'we remember'.
Acuérdate la leche.
Acuérdate de la leche.
Don't forget the 'de'! When you remember a noun (an object, person, or thing), you need 'de' after 'acordarse'.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Acordar vs Acordarse de
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence means 'We agreed to meet at the park'?
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'acordarse de' and 'recordar'?
They both mean 'to remember', but 'recordar' does NOT use the preposition 'de'. So, 'Me acuerdo del libro' and 'Recuerdo el libro' are both correct and mean 'I remember the book'. 'Acordarse de' is slightly more common in everyday conversation.
Do I always need 'me', 'te', 'se' with 'acordarse'?
Yes. When you mean 'to remember', it's a reflexive verb, so you always need the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) that matches the subject. 'Yo me acuerdo', 'tú te acuerdas', etc.
Can 'acordar' mean 'to remind'?
No. 'Acordar' means 'to agree'. To say 'to remind', you should use the verb 'recordar'. For example, 'Recuérdame que compre leche' means 'Remind me to buy milk'.