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How to Say "you forgot" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “you forgot” is “olvidaste” — use this informal singular past tense when someone failed to remember something, like an event, a task, or a person..

English → Spanish

olvidaste

ol-vee-DAHS-teh/ol.βiˈðas.te/

verbA2informal
Use this informal singular past tense when someone failed to remember something, like an event, a task, or a person.
A high quality storybook illustration showing a small, simple character standing in a doorway, looking back with a look of sudden realization at a bright red object (like a key or a lunchbox) sitting alone on a table.

Examples

¿Olvidaste mi cumpleaños? ¡No puede ser!

You forgot my birthday? It can't be!

Olvidaste la cartera en el coche, ten cuidado.

You left your wallet in the car, be careful.

Pensé que lo harías, pero olvidaste terminar el informe a tiempo.

I thought you would do it, but you forgot to finish the report on time.

It's a Completed Past Action

The ending '-aste' tells us the action of forgetting happened at a specific point in the past and is now finished. This is the simple past tense (Pretérito).

The 'Tú' Form

This word is only used when talking directly and informally to one person (the 'tú' form), meaning 'You forgot.'

Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: “Using 'olvidaste' when you mean 'you forgot (it just slipped your mind).' (E.g., 'Olvidaste el libro.')”

Correction: Often, Spanish speakers use the reflexive form 'olvidarse' to describe forgetting something passively: 'Se te olvidó el libro' (The book was forgotten by you). Use 'olvidaste' when the forgetting was a more active failure.

dejaste

deh-HAHS-tay/deˈxaste/

verbA1
Use this when someone accidentally left a physical object somewhere, implying it was left behind unintentionally.
A storybook illustration showing a child walking away from a cozy cottage, looking back at a single red toy truck deliberately left behind on the doorstep.

Examples

¿Dónde dejaste tu mochila anoche?

Where did you leave your backpack last night?

Dijiste que me llamaste, pero no dejaste mensaje.

You said you called me, but you didn't leave a message.

Llegaste tarde porque dejaste el coche lejos, ¿verdad?

You arrived late because you left the car far away, right?

The Preterite Tense

This form ('dejaste') tells us about an action that happened once and was completely finished in the past. It’s for quick, defined moments.

Tú Form

The '-aste' ending is the classic signal that the simple past action was done by 'tú' (you, informal singular).

Leaving vs. Returning

Mistake: “Using 'dejaste' when you mean 'you returned something' ('devolviste').”

Correction: Use 'dejaste' only when you physically abandoned or forgot something. If you brought it back, use a verb like 'devolver'.

Forgetting vs. Leaving Behind

The most common mistake is using 'olvidaste' when you mean something was physically left behind. Remember, 'dejaste' specifically implies leaving an object somewhere, while 'olvidaste' is for failing to remember.

Related Translations

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