German · Everyday Verbs
"to forget" in German: vergessen
vergessen
To forget in German is vergessen. Present forms include ich vergesse and du vergisst. Soft orders use Vergiss es.
Keys left behind
Ich vergesse ständig meinen Schlüssel.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce vergessen
Say it
fer-GESS-en
/fɛɐ̯ˈɡɛsn̩/
fer-GESS-en. Stress GESS. Soft -en.
"to forget" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| vergessen | to forget Infinitive and past participle. | Infinitive and past participle. |
| ich vergesse / du vergisst | I forget / you forget Present. | Present. |
| Vergiss es | forget it Imperative. | Imperative. |
| Ich habe es vergessen | I forgot it Perfect tense. | Perfect tense. |
How to use vergessen in real life
- 1Keys left behind
Ich vergesse ständig meinen Schlüssel.
I constantly forget my key.
Ich vergesse.
- 2Reminder
Vergiss bitte nicht den Termin.
Please don't forget the appointment.
Imperative vergiss.
- 3After a call
Du vergisst immer die Nummer.
You always forget the number.
Du vergisst.
Mistakes English speakers make with vergessen
Incorrect: Ich vergesslich die Adresse.
Correct: Ich vergesse die Adresse.
Vergesslich is an adjective; use a conjugation of vergessen.
Incorrect: Ich habe vergessen es.
Correct: Ich habe es vergessen.
Object es usually comes before the past participle.
Good to know
Vergiss es can sound soft or dismissive depending on tone. For passwords and pins, Germans say nicht vergessen as a joke reminder. Vergesslich describes a forgetful person and is not the verb headword.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Leaving the apartment
ChatPal
Vergiss die Bahncard nicht!
Don't forget the rail card!
You
Danke. Ich vergesse sie sonst immer.
Thanks. I always forget it otherwise.
ChatPal
Und vergisst du auch die Flasche Wasser?
And do you also forget the water bottle?
You
Heute nicht — ich vergesse nichts Wichtiges.
Not today — I'm not forgetting anything important.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to forget" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to forget" in German
How do you conjugate vergessen?
Ich vergesse, du vergisst, er/sie vergisst, wir vergessen…
Forget it?
Vergiss es.
I forgot?
Ich habe es vergessen.
Does vergesslich count?
No — that adjective is not the verb headword.
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