Acordarse vs Recordar: How to Say ‘Remember’ in Spanish

¿Te acuerdas de esa pizzería a la que solíamos ir?
Do you remember that pizza place that we used to go to?

¿Recuerdas cuál era el nombre del dueño?
Do you remember the owner’s name?

How do you actually say “remember” in Spanish? Is it acordarse or is it recordar?

While both verbs mean “to remember,” they each function differently in a grammatical sense and vary in sentence structure.

Keep reading to learn about how to use acordarse as a pronominal (or reflexive) verb and recordar as a transitive verb. 

The Differences Between Acordarse and Recordar

While acordarse and recordar are interchangeable in meaning, they have a few important differences to note:

• Acordarse is a pronominal verb that uses a reflexive pronoun
• Acordarse always precedes the preposition de 
• Recordar can mean “to remember” and “to remind.”

What do they have in common? They’re both stem-changing verbs! (See more about this below.)

Acordarse vs Recordar: Grammar and Sentence Structure 

Don’t we use acordarse and recordar in the same way? Well, not exactly. While they’re very similar verbs they have some differences into how they should be applied.

In this section I show some differences between the grammar and sentence structure and how they’re different with each one of the verbs.

1. Acordarse is a pronominal verb.

A “pronominal verb” is an umbrella term used to categorize different types of reflexive verbs. You may recall that reflexive verbs require a reflexive pronoun. Here’s a quick review!

Learn more: Pronominal Verbs in Spanish: An Easy Grammar Guide

As you saw in the conjugation section above, when you conjugate acordarse, you must use the reflexive pronoun that agrees with the subject pronoun. 

Yo me acuerdo.
I remember.

¡No me acuerdo!
I can’t remember!

Subject pronoun: yo

Reflexive pronoun: me

Nosotros nos acordamos.
We remember.

¡No nos acordamos!
We can’t remember!

Subject pronoun: nosotros

Reflexive pronoun: nos

2. Acordarse is always followed by de.

Using the two example sentences from above, we can create the following examples:

Yo me acuerdo de ti.
I remember you.

Nosotros nos acordamos de llamarte.
We remember to call you.

3. Recordar is a transitive verb. 

The team “transitive verb” simply means that the verb needs a direct object. To be clear, a direct object is a sentence, word, or phrase that receives the action from the verb. 

Learn more: Practice Direct Object Pronouns in Spanish (+ a List of Common Transitive Verbs)

Here’s a super easy example to understand the direct object:

Como una pizza todos los días.
I eat a pizza every day.

In this example, “pizza” is the direct object. It answers the question, “What?” 

To better understand the transitive (and intransitive) verbs check out The Ultimate Guide to Transitive Verbs in Spanish

4. Recordar a means “to remind.”

When the preposition a follows the verb recordar, it means “to remind.” The preposition is essential and you’ll see it move around a sentence, depending on the required structure. 

A question, for example, requires that the preposition is placed at the beginning: 

¿A qué te recuerda el olor a papas fritas?
What does the smell of french fries remind you of?

A statement requires the preposition a to follow the verb:

Su tono de voz me recuerda a un amigo.
His tone of voice reminds me of a friend.

To remind someone to do something, the verb in the subordinating clause is subjunctive (recordar a alguien que haga algo):

Le recuerdo a mi hermano que saque la basura.
I remind my brother to take out the trash.

5. Different common nouns derive from each verb.

The noun el recuerdo comes from recordar, meanwhile the noun el acuerdo comes from acordar, but they have very different meanings!

• el recuerdo – memory
• el acuerdo – agreement

For example: 

Esa canción me trae muchos recuerdos.
That song brings back so many memories.

Finalmente llegamos a un acuerdo con el vendedor.
We finally reached an agreement with the seller.

6. Each verb is a stem-changing verb.

Acordarse and recordar are stem-changing verbs. The stem change for both acordar(se) and recordar is o-ue.

• Recordar – Recuerdo, recuerdas, recuerda, recuerdan
• Acordar – Acuerdo, acuerdas, acuerda, acuerdan

Learn more: Stem Changing Verbs in Spanish for Beginners. 

How to Conjugate “Remember” in Spanish

The following charts show you all you need to know for conjugating both verbs that mean “to remember” in Spanish. Each verb set includes example Spanish sentences in the tense shown.

• acordarse conjugation
• recordar conjugation 

Acordarse Conjugation

Simple Present – presente simple

Example Spanish Sentences

¿Te acuerdas del río donde jugábamos?
Do you remember the river which we used to play in?

Nos acordamos perfectamente de lo que tenemos que hacer.
We remember, perfectly, what we have to do.

¿Os acordáis de cómo se veían los tipos que os asaltaron?
Do you remember what the guys who mugged you looked like?

Simple Past – pretérito simple

Example Spanish Sentences

Hoy sí me acordé de traer la tarea de física fundamental.
Today I did remember to bring the physics homework.

¿Se acordó de enviarme la papelería que le encargué?
Did you remember to send me the paperwork I requested?

No nos acordamos de traer el dinero para comprar la pizza.
We did not remember to bring the money to buy the pizza.

Simple Future – futuro simple

Example Spanish Sentences

De viejo, me acordaré de los momentos que estoy viviendo ahora.
When I’m old, I’m going to remember the moments that I am living right now.

¿Estás segura que te acordarás de traer todas las verduras del mercado sin la lista?
Are you sure that you are going to remember to bring every vegetable from the market without the list?

Tus hermanos no se acordarán de cómo los trataste.
Your brothers (or siblings) won’t remember how you treated them.

Present Subjunctive – el presente del subjuntivo

Learn more: The Ultimate Guide to Subjunctive Conjugation in Spanish

Example Spanish Sentences

No es que yo nunca me acuerde de mis amigos, es que ellos nunca se acuerdan de mí.
It is not that I never remember my friends, it’s that they never remember me.

El problema real aquí es que no te acuerdes de cómo dividir.
The real problem here is that you don’t remember how to divide.

Que no os acordéis no significa que no sucedió.
(The fact) that you don’t remember, doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen.

Imperative (Command) – el imperativo

Learn more: Master the Imperative Mood to Express Your Spanish Commands

Example Spanish Sentences

¡Acuerdense de lavarse las manos antes de comer!
Remember to wash your hands before eating!

Acuerdate de mi nombre.
Remember my name.

Acuérdese de la deuda que tiene pendiente conmigo.
Remember the pending debt that you have with me.

Recordar Conjugation

Simple Present – presente simple

Example Spanish Sentences

¿Recuerdas la final del mundial del 2006?
Do you remember the 2006 World Cup final?

¡Sí la recuerdo! Italia le ganó a Francia en penales.
Yes, I remember it! Italy beat France in a penalty shootout.

Recordamos a tu abuelita con mucho cariño.
We remember your granny with a lot of love.

Simple Past – pretérito simple

Example Spanish Sentences

¿Recordaron hacer el experimento para biología?
Did you remember to do the experiment for biology?

A la hora del examen, no recordé absolutamente nada de lo que estudiamos anoche.*
At the time of the exam, I did not remember absolutely anything that we studied last night.

¿Recordaste envolver los regalos?
Did you remember to wrap the presents?

Simple Future – futuro simple

Example Spanish Sentences

Lo recordaré siempre.
I will always remember it (or him).

Recordaréis este día con alegría.
You will remember this day with joy.

Mañana ya no recordarás nada de lo que me dijiste hoy.
Tomorrow you won’t remember anything that you told me today.

Present Subjunctive – el presente del subjuntivo

Example Spanish Sentences

– ¿Nos dijeron que el combo que pedimos incluía refill?
– No que yo recuerde.

– Did they tell us that the combo we ordered included refills?
– Not that I remember.

Independientemente de que lo recuerdes o no, eso así fue.
Whether you remember it or not, that happened like that.

Que no se recuerden no es problema mío.
It isn’t my problem if you don’t remember it.

Imperative (Command) – el imperativo

Learn more: Master the Imperative Mood to Express Your Spanish Commands

Example Spanish Sentences

¡Recuérdame!
Remember me!

Recuerde quién es usted!
Remember who you are! (formal)

Recordemos a las víctimas de esa gran tragedia con un minuto de silencio.
Let’s remember the victims of that great tragedy with a minute of silence.

Common Mistakes Even Native Speakers Make

After mastering the difference between these two verbs, you take your knowledge with you in your next Spanish conversation. But your native Spanish-speaking friend keeps saying me recuerdo. What!? 

The truth is, even native Spanish speakers make these common mistakes! Other mistakes you’re likely to hear include:

Me recuerdo de ti.
I remember you!

No me recuerdo.
I don’t remember.

¿Te recuerdas de la lección de español?
Do you remember the Spanish lesson?

Acuerdo el olor de las flores.
I remember the smell of the flowers.

With your newly-equipped knowledge, you’ll be able to help out your native Spanish-speaking friends improve their grammar skills!

Start Practicing with a Professional Native Speaker

Y bueno, ¿cómo vas a recordar todo esto?
And well, how are you going to remember all of this?

By practicing, of course!

If you haven’t already, sign up for a free Spanish class today with certified, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala who offer student-tailored, 1-on-1 classes designed to meet you at your level and help you reach fluency fast.

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Javier Grazioso

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Italo-Guatemalan, born and raised in Guatemala City, where I got a B.A. in Communication and Journalism. Currently, I'm living in Spain where I'm studying for a master's degree. I'm a language and travel enthusiast who speaks Spanish, English, Italian, and a bit of Hungarian. I love watching sports, practicing boxing, writing, and gaming.

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