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Remember, remind, or recall
Remember is bringing something back to your own mind, remind is making someone else remember, and recall is a formal remember.
Quick rule
You bring it to mind? Remember. You make someone else remember? Remind + person. Formal, or calling back a product? Recall.
To keep or bring something back in your own mind: I remember her. With to + verb, not to forget: remember to call.
To make someone else remember: remind me to call. With of, to make someone think of something: you remind me of my aunt.
A formal word for remember: I don't recall his name. Also to ask for a faulty product to be returned.
How to choose
| Question | remember | remind | recall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does a person come right after it, who is the one to remember (___ me to call)? | No | Yes | No |
| Can it mean calling back a product from stores? | No | No | Yes |
| Can it take to + verb for not forgetting a task (___ to call)? | Yes | SometimesSometimes | No |
Why it trips people up
Remember and recall both happen in your own mind; recall is the more formal one and also means calling back a faulty product. Remind is different: you make someone else remember, so a person follows it.
How each one works
Remember
Having a memory of something
Do you remember our first trip together?
Remember to: not forget to do
Remember to lock the door.
Bringing back a fact
I can't remember where I parked.
Remind
Remind + person + to
Can you remind me to buy milk?
Remind of: bringing back a memory
This song reminds me of my school days.
Remind of: being similar to
You remind me of your father.
Recall
Formal remembering
I don't recall saying that.
Saying you are not completely sure
If I recall correctly, the meeting is at ten.
Calling back a product
The company recalled thousands of cars.
What comes next
remember plus to plus verb
Did you remember to feed the cat?
remember plus -ing form
I remember meeting her at a party.
remind plus person plus to plus verb
Please remind Tom to bring the tickets.
remind plus person plus of plus something
This place reminds me of Cartagena.
recall plus -ing form
She doesn't recall signing the contract.
Set phrases
Remember
- if I remember correctly
- used when you think something is true but are not completely sure
Remind
- that reminds me
- used when something just said makes you think of something you need to say or do
- don't remind me
- used when you don't want to think about something unpleasant
Recall
- I don't recall
- a careful, formal way to say "I don't remember"
Almost the same
I remembered to call Ana.
You did not forget.
Ana reminded me to call her.
Someone else made you remember.
I don't recall calling Ana.
Formal: you have no memory of it.
In a conversation
- A:
Did you remember to book the restaurant?
- B:
Oh no! Why didn't you remind me?
- A:
I did, twice! Don't you recall?
- B:
Okay, okay. I'll call them now.
Common mistakes
Wrong: That smell always remembers me of my grandmother's kitchen.
Right: That smell always reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen.
Making you think of something is remind ... of; Cambridge marks remembers me of as wrong.
Wrong: Lately I'm recalling my childhood a lot.
Right: Lately I often recall my childhood.
In the sense of remember, Oxford says recall is not used in the progressive.
Memory trick
Remember happens in your own head. Remind hands the memory to someone else, so a person follows it (remind me). Recall is remember in a suit, or a company calling a product back.
It depends
- Recall in conversation
- Recall is more formal than remember. In a meeting or in court, I don't recall sounds careful; with friends, I don't remember is the everyday choice.
FAQ
Remember or remind: which one?
You remember things yourself. You remind someone else, so a person follows it: remind me about the meeting, you remind me of my brother.
Recall or remember: what is the difference?
They mean the same, but recall is more formal and is not used in the progressive. It also means calling back a faulty product.