Inklingo

How to Say "recalls" in Spanish

English → Spanish

recuerda

/rreh-KWEHR-dah//re'kweɾ.ða/

VerbA1General
Use 'recuerda' when recalling a general memory, a piece of information, or a fact that comes to mind easily.
A woman sitting calmly, holding a large seashell, with a bright thought bubble above her head showing a clear, happy memory of a tropical beach.

Examples

Mi abuela siempre recuerda las historias de su juventud.

My grandmother always remembers the stories from her youth.

¿Usted recuerda mi nombre?

Do you (formal) remember my name?

Él no recuerda dónde puso las llaves.

He doesn't remember where he put the keys.

A 'Boot' Verb (o → ue)

The verb recordar changes its spelling in the present tense. The 'o' becomes 'ue' for most forms (yo, tú, él, ellos), but not for 'nosotros' or 'vosotros'. Think of the changed forms as being inside a 'boot' shape on the conjugation chart.

`Recordar` vs. `Acordarse`

Both mean 'to remember.' Recordar is simple: 'Yo recuerdo tu nombre' (I remember your name). Acordarse is a bit different; it needs a word like 'me' and often uses 'de': 'Yo me acuerdo de tu nombre.' They are often used interchangeably.

Forgetting the Stem Change

Mistake: “Él recorda todo.”

Correction: Él recuerda todo. The 'o' changes to 'ue' for the 'él/ella/usted' form.

acuerda

ah-KWEHR-dah/aˈkweɾða/

VerbA2General
Use 'acuerda' when you are actively trying to remember something specific, like a forgotten detail or location, and it might not come to mind easily.
A young child looks surprised and happy, with a thought bubble above their head containing a single, simple red toy block, symbolizing remembering something.

Examples

Mi abuela no se acuerda de dónde puso las llaves.

My grandmother doesn't remember where she put the keys.

¿Usted se acuerda de nuestro primer viaje?

Do you (formal) remember our first trip?

El perro se acuerda de la casa incluso después de un año.

The dog remembers the house even after a year.

Always Use the Reflexive Pronoun

When 'acuerda' means 'to remember,' it must always be used with the pronoun 'se' (or me/te/nos/os) before the verb: 'Él se acuerda.' This is different from the non-reflexive verb 'recordar'.

Required Preposition 'de'

When saying what is remembered, 'acordarse' almost always uses the little word 'de' (of/about) right after it: 'Se acuerda de la canción.'

Forgetting the 'se'

Mistake: “Él acuerda su cumpleaños.”

Correction: Él *se* acuerda de su cumpleaños. (If you omit 'se', it means 'He agrees to his birthday.')

Remembering vs. Forgetting

The most common mistake is using 'recuerda' when you're actively trying to recall something specific, especially if it's something you've forgotten. Reserve 'acuerda' for those instances where you are trying to bring a specific, possibly lost, detail back to mind.

Related Translations

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