"Forget" is to fail to remember something; "forgive" is to pardon someone.
To fail to remember, to lose from memory, or to accidentally omit something.
I forgot my wallet at home. Can you lend me some cash?
Olvide mi billetera en casa. ¿Puedes prestarme efectivo?
Do not forget to call me when you arrive.
No olvides llamarme cuando llegues.
She forgot his birthday and felt terrible about it.
Ella olvido su cumpleanos y se sintio terrible al respecto.
To pardon someone for a mistake, offense, or harm they caused.
I forgave him for what he did, but I will never forget it.
Lo perdone por lo que hizo, pero nunca lo olvidare.
Can you forgive me? I should not have said that.
¿Puedes perdonarme? No debi haber dicho eso.
It is hard to forgive someone who never apologizes.
Es dificil perdonar a alguien que nunca se disculpa.
Common mistake
The trap is that both start with "for-" and Spanish speakers sometimes say "forget me" when they mean "forgive me". "Forget me" = do not remember me / let me fade from your memory (as in "forget-me-not"). "Forgive me" = pardon me. They are opposite in meaning and the error can create very awkward situations.
Trick to remember it
Visual trick: "forGET" contains GET — you are losing something (a memory). "forGIVE" contains GIVE — you are giving something (pardon) to someone. If you want to give something (forgiveness, a second chance), use "forgive". If something leaves your mind, use "forget".
Quick rule
Forget = to lose from memory. Forgive = to pardon (give forgiveness to someone).
Did you know?
"Forget-me-not" is a flower whose name is literally a request: "do not forget me". Legend says a medieval knight, about to drown, threw the flower to his beloved saying "forget me not". The name passed into other languages as "nomeolvides" (Spanish). The English name is still a negative imperative — "forget me not", not "forgive me not".
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
"I am so sorry about yesterday. Can you _____ me?" said she.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
I completely _____ to bring the documents. I am so sorry.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Forget = to lose from memory. Forgive = to pardon (give forgiveness to someone).
The trap is that both start with "for-" and Spanish speakers sometimes say "forget me" when they mean "forgive me". "Forget me" = do not remember me / let me fade from your memory (as in "forget-me-not"). "Forgive me" = pardon me. They are opposite in meaning and the error can create very awkward situations.
Visual trick: "forGET" contains GET — you are losing something (a memory). "forGIVE" contains GIVE — you are giving something (pardon) to someone. If you want to give something (forgiveness, a second chance), use "forgive". If something leaves your mind, use "forget".
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy