souviens-toi de moi
The English phrase "remember me" is translated into French as souviens-toi de moi.
This phrase is used when making a request for someone to keep a person in their memory or not forget them.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, souviens-toi de moi translates to "remember yourself of me". This is because the French verb se souvenir is pronominal and requires the preposition de.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying souviens-moi. English speakers often mistakenly say souviens-moi, forgetting that the verb se souvenir requires the preposition de before the object.
Did you know?
- The word souvenir comes from the Latin subvenire, which literally means 'to come up' or 'to occur to one's mind'.
- In French, a 'souvenir' is not just a mental memory but can be a physical object, such as a postcard or a shell, that serves as a memento.
- The word de in this phrase is derived from the Latin 'dē', which originally meant 'down from' or 'away from'.
Examples in context
- Souviens-toi de moi.Remember me.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase souviens-toi de moi.Tatoeba #11412293 by carlosalberto, translation #11412274 by carlosalberto
- Si tu vas en France, souviens-toi de moi.If you go to France, remember me.
Example conversation
A woman is saying goodbye to a man at the airport.
- ManonNe m'oublie pas, souviens-toi de moi.Don't forget me, remember me.
- HugoJe te le promets, Manon.I promise you, Manon.
- ManonTu es un homme de parole.You are a man of your word.
- HugoBien sûr, je ne t'oublierai pas.Of course, I won't forget you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, moi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
