remembrar
/rememˈbɾaɾ/
The English verb 'recall' can be translated into Spanish as remembrar, though this is quite rare. If unsure, use tener / hacer memoria de.
Meaning: to remember, recollect (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| remembrar | /rememˈbɾaɾ/ |
| tener / hacer memoria de | /teˈneɾ aˈθeɾ meˈmoɾja de/ (word by word) |
In a general sense, these terms are used to describe the act of remembering or recollecting information. If you are referring to the noun 'product recall', the appropriate term is retirada. For the concept of 'memory' as a noun, you may use recordación or rememoración.
Which one should you use?
While remembrar is a literal cognate for 'recall', it is extremely rare and archaic. In almost all modern contexts, you should use recordar to mean 'to remember' or 'to recall'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/rememˈbɾaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use remembrar because it looks like 'remember', but in modern Spanish, recordar is the standard verb for this meaning.
Did you know?
- While the common verb recordar means 'to remember', it literally stems from the Latin words for 'heart' and 'bring back', suggesting that recalling information was once seen as a matter of the heart.
- In Spanish, if you forget a word but can almost recall it, you might say lo tengo en la punta de la lengua, which is the exact equivalent of the English 'it is on the tip of my tongue'.
- The irregular preterite stem tuv- in the verb tener exists because the verb was historically influenced by the similar verb haber.
Examples in context
- Recuerda enviar el informe a tiempo.Remember to send the report on time.
- Recuerdo haber leído ese libro cuando era joven.I recall reading that book when I was young.
- No puedo acordarme de su nombre.I can't recall his/her name.
- ¿Te acuerdas de nuestra última reunión?Do you recall our last meeting?
- Según lo que puedo recordar…From what I can recall…
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are looking at old family photographs.
- LucíaMira esta foto, me hace remembrar el viaje.Look at this photo, it makes me recall the trip.
- MateoFue hace mucho tiempo, ¿verdad?It was a long time ago, right?
- LucíaSí, pero aún puedo remembrar cada detalle.Yes, but I can still recall every detail.
- MateoTienes una memoria increíble, Lucía.You have an incredible memory, Lucía.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “recall” translations and entries remembrar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tener, hacer, memoria, de) and can differ in connected speech.
