olvidó
“olvidó” means “forgot” in Spanish (He/she/it forgot).
forgot, left behind
Also: failed to remember
📝 In Action
Mi hermano olvidó la cartera en casa antes de irse.
A1My brother forgot his wallet at home before leaving.
¿Por qué usted olvidó apagar las luces anoche?
A2Why did you (formal) forget to turn off the lights last night?
Ella olvidó por completo lo que le dije.
B1She completely forgot what I told her.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "olvidó" in Spanish:
left behind→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: olvidó
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'olvidó'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Vulgar Latin *oblitare, which itself came from the classical Latin *oblitus (past participle of *oblivisci, meaning 'to forget'). The Spanish word has maintained the meaning of losing memory or neglecting something.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish (around the 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'olvidó' and 'olvidaba'?
'Olvidó' is the simple past (preterite) and means the forgetting happened once and was finished: 'She forgot the key yesterday.' 'Olvidaba' is the descriptive past (imperfect) and describes a past habit or a state of mind: 'She used to forget things easily.'
Can I use 'olvidó' to say 'it forgot itself'?
Not exactly. If you want to emphasize that the object or memory was lost without intention, you should use the reflexive structure: 'Se le olvidó la hora' (He forgot the time, literally: The time forgot itself to him). 'Olvidó' implies the subject actively forgot.