me rappelle
The English phrase "reminds me" is translated into French as me rappelle.
This phrase is used when something makes a person think of a previous memory or a similar person or thing.
Which one should you use?
While both Ça me rappelle and Cela me rappelle mean "it reminds me", Ça me rappelle is an informal way to say 'it reminds me' in French and Cela me rappelle is a formal way to say 'it reminds me' in French.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb rappeler is conjugated in the third-person singular to agree with the subject ça (it/that) or il/elle (he/she).
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the preposition de (of) after the verb, saying Ça me rappelle de Tom, but in French, the object follows the verb directly without a preposition.
Did you know?
- While me rappelle refers to a memory, French uses a different verb, ressembler, to say someone 'reminds' you of another person because they look alike.
- The verb rappeler is a combination of the prefix re- (meaning 'again') and appeler ('to call'). Literally, when something reminds you of something else, it 'calls it back' to your mind.
- In French, rappeler is used both for memories and for telephone calls. If someone says Je te rappelle, they could be saying 'I will call you back' or 'I am reminding you'.
Examples in context
- Ça me rappelle Tom.That reminds me of Tom.This example shows how to use me rappelle to link a subject to a person.Tatoeba #4250797 by mouche, translation #3819409 by CK
- Ça me rappelle chez moi.This reminds me of home.This example shows how to use me rappelle to link a subject to a place.Tatoeba #4550366 by sacredceltic, translation #54966 by CK
- Il me rappelle son père.He reminds me of his father.This example shows how to use me rappelle to link a person to a relative.Tatoeba #11778873 by lbdx, translation #8575157 by ET
- Cela me rappelle mon enfance.That reminds me of my childhood.
- Ceci me fait penser à notre voyage à Paris.This reminds me of our trip to Paris.
- Ça me rappelle une blague que j'ai entendue hier.That reminds me of a joke I heard yesterday.
- Ça me fait penser à cette chanson que nous aimions écouter ensemble.That reminds me of that song we used to listen to together.
- La musique me rappelle des moments heureux.Music reminds me of happy moments.
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are looking at an old photo in a cafe.
- HugoCette photo me rappelle nos vacances.This photo reminds me of our holidays.
- LéaC'était un moment magnifique, n'est-ce pas ?It was a wonderful time, wasn't it?
- HugoOui, et l'odeur de la mer me rappelle ce voyage.Yes, and the smell of the sea reminds me of that trip.
- LéaJe suis d'accord, je m'en souviens très bien.I agree, I remember it very well.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
