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A child walking away from a park bench stops and looks back with a startled expression at a solitary, forgotten red lunchbox sitting on the bench.

olvidé

ol-vee-DEH

Verb (Preterite Tense)A1regular ar
I forgot?a past, completed action,I left behind?e.g., an item at home
Also:I missed?e.g., an appointment or deadline

Quick Reference

infinitiveolvidar
gerundolvidando
past Participleolvidado

📝 In Action

¡Lo siento! Olvidé completamente tu cumpleaños.

A1

I'm sorry! I completely forgot your birthday.

Salí de la casa tan rápido que olvidé mis llaves.

A2

I left the house so quickly that I forgot my keys.

Olvidé el asunto después de que terminamos la reunión.

B1

I forgot about the issue after we finished the meeting.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • omitir (to omit)
  • pasar por alto (to overlook)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • olvidé completamente – I completely forgot
  • olvidé mi cartera – I forgot my wallet

💡 Grammar Points

Action in the Past

"Olvidé" uses the preterite tense, which means the act of forgetting happened at a specific, defined time and is finished.

Focus on the Subject ('I')

Since this is the 'yo' form, the speaker is directly responsible for the forgetting (e.g., 'I forgot the keys').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Imperfect

Mistake: "Usar 'olvidaba' when meaning 'I forgot' once."

Correction: Use 'olvidé' for a single, sudden moment of forgetting. 'Olvidaba' would mean 'I used to forget regularly' or 'I was forgetting.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Transitive Use is Common

Use 'olvidé [thing]' directly when the keys/book/date slipped your mind: 'Olvidé el libro.' (I forgot the book.)

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: olvidé

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'olvidé' to describe a single, finished action?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

olvidar(to forget (infinitive)) - verb
olvido(forgetfulness/oblivion) - noun
olvidado(forgotten) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'olvidé' and 'me olvidé'?

'Olvidé' (I forgot) is used when you are clearly the one who forgot something: 'Olvidé el nombre.' (I forgot the name.) 'Me olvidé' (or 'Me olvidé de') emphasizes the sudden occurrence of the forgetting, often implying it was accidental: 'Me olvidé de la reunión.' (I forgot about the meeting.) Both are very common and often interchangeable in casual speech, but 'olvidé' is simpler and directly refers to the forgotten item.

How do I say 'I was forgetting'?

For an ongoing or habitual action of forgetting in the past, you would use the imperfect tense: 'olvidaba'. For example: 'Siempre olvidaba las fechas importantes' (I always used to forget important dates).