j'ai oublié
In French, "I forgot" is expressed as j'ai oublié.
This phrase is used to indicate that you cannot remember a specific piece of information or that you failed to complete a task.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally "I have forgotten", which is formed using the auxiliary verb avoir (to have) and the past participle oublié.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the passé composé tense. In French, j'ai oublié is used to express both the simple past "I forgot" and the present perfect "I have forgotten".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the present tense j'oublie (which means "I forget" or "I am forgetting") when you intend to say that the act of forgetting has already happened. Instead, use j'ai oublié.
Did you know?
- If you forget to do something, a French person might say c'est tombé aux oubliettes, meaning it fell into the 'forgetting pits'.
- The word oubliettes comes from the same root as oublié and refers to the narrow dungeon pits where prisoners were left to be forgotten.
- If you want to say 'I forgot' in a way that implies you completely blanked on a name or fact, you can use the more expressive j'ai un trou de mémoire, which literally means 'I have a memory hole'.
Examples in context
- J'ai oublié ma clé.I forgot my key.This sentence shows how to use j'ai oublié regarding a lost object.Tatoeba #2422862 by sacredceltic, translation #2326561 by CK
- J'ai oublié mon mél.I forgot my email address.This sentence demonstrates the use of j'ai oublié with an email address.Tatoeba #2196334 by sacredceltic, translation #937844 by CK
- J'ai oublié mon sac.I forgot my bag.This sentence illustrates using j'ai oublié when referring to a bag.Tatoeba #2422855 by sacredceltic, translation #2326556 by CK
- J'ai complètement oublié la réunion de ce matin.I completely forgot about the meeting this morning.
- Je m'excuse, mais je ne me souviens plus du nom de la personne dont vous parlez.I'm sorry, but I don't remember the name of the person you're talking about anymore.
- Excuse-moi, j'ai complètement zappé notre rendez-vous.Sorry, I totally blanked on our appointment.
- J'ai oublié complètement d'acheter du pain.I completely forgot to buy bread.
- J'ai la mémoire qui flanche, je ne me rappelle plus ce que tu m'as dit.My memory is failing, I don't remember what you told me.
- 261 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are talking in their kitchen.
- ChloéTu as apporté le pain ?Did you bring the bread?
- NathanOh non, j'ai oublié.Oh no, I forgot.
- ChloéC'est dommage, Nathan.That's a shame, Nathan.
- NathanJe vais aller au magasin.I will go to the store.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
