All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| merken | notice; commit to memory | Perception or retaining information | Weak: merkt, merkte, hat gemerkt; no separable prefix. Etwas merken takes accusative. Sich etwas merken uses dative reflexive pronouns: ich merke mir, du merkst dir. |
| bemerken | notice; remark | Detecting something or commenting | Inseparable be-. Weak: bemerkt, bemerkte, hat bemerkt. Etwas bemerken or bemerken, dass; normally no reflexive pronoun. |
| erinnern | remember; remind | Retrieving a memory or prompting one | Inseparable er-. Weak: erinnert, erinnerte, hat erinnert. Sich an etwas erinnern: reflexive accusative, an + accusative. Jemanden an etwas erinnern: person accusative. |
| vergessen | forget | Lost information or an omitted action | Inseparable ver-. Strong: vergisst, vergaß, hat vergessen. Etwas/jemanden vergessen takes accusative; vergessen, etwas zu tun names an omitted action. |
merken
Meaning and usage: Without the memory construction, merken often describes realizing or sensing something. Sich etwas merken focuses on retaining it, which may be deliberate. The construction is useful for names, addresses and new vocabulary.
Grammar: Weak: merkt, merkte, hat gemerkt; no separable prefix. Etwas merken takes accusative. Sich etwas merken uses dative reflexive pronouns: ich merke mir, du merkst dir.
Ich merke, dass du nervös bist.
I can tell that you are nervous.
Ich merke mir deine neue Adresse.
I will remember your new address.
bemerken
Meaning and usage: Bemerken overlaps with merken in the noticing sense. It can also introduce a short spoken comment. The prefix does not give it the memorization meaning of sich merken.
Grammar: Inseparable be-. Weak: bemerkt, bemerkte, hat bemerkt. Etwas bemerken or bemerken, dass; normally no reflexive pronoun.
Sie bemerkt einen Fehler im Formular.
She notices a mistake in the form.
erinnern
Meaning and usage: Sich erinnern retrieves a memory. To prompt another person to think of something, replace the reflexive person with that person as an object. The same an phrase can follow both constructions.
Grammar: Inseparable er-. Weak: erinnert, erinnerte, hat erinnert. Sich an etwas erinnern: reflexive accusative, an + accusative. Jemanden an etwas erinnern: person accusative.
Ich erinnere mich an unseren ersten Unterricht.
I remember our first lesson.
vergessen
Meaning and usage: Vergessen describes losing a memory or failing to think of something when needed. It also fits leaving an object behind. A zu-infinitive can name an action you failed to do.
Grammar: Inseparable ver-. Strong: vergisst, vergaß, hat vergessen. Etwas/jemanden vergessen takes accusative; vergessen, etwas zu tun names an omitted action.
Ich habe vergessen, das Fenster zu schließen.
I forgot to close the window.
Overlap and context
Merken and bemerken can both mean notice, with no universal conscious-versus-unconscious divide. Memory uses are different: mir merken stores or retains information; mich erinnern recalls it. Some regions use erinnern without a reflexive pronoun, but the an construction taught here is a dependable general learner pattern.
Common mistakes
- Avoid Ich erinnere mir: use Ich erinnere mich an … .
- For memorizing, include the dative reflexive pronoun: Ich merke mir den Namen.
Memory aid: Mir merken puts information into your memory; mich erinnern brings it back. Bemerken catches your attention, while vergessen loses or misses it.
Try it
Complete: Ich kann ___ seinen Namen nicht merken.
Show the answer
mir
The construction is sich etwas merken, with a dative reflexive pronoun and an accusative thing remembered.