correct constructions with olvidar or olvidarse?

Question

Should I use olvidarse de hacer or olvidar hacer? Olvidarse de algo or olvidar algo? I suspect there might be subtle differences in meaning, too? Gracias! Nick

Answer 1

Here's some great points from one of our most knowledgeable grammarians here Lazarus:

"olvidar" is transitive, so it needs a direct object: "olvidé las llaves"

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"olvidarse" is intransitive, and it needs the preposition "de".

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This one is particularly used when you forget "to do things", but it can be used in any context.

(Yo) Me olvidé de poner la lavadora

(Tú) Te olvidaste del partido

(Él) Se olvidó de cerrar la puerta

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It is also common the use of this verb in its pronominal form (olvidarse) in its "reverse form" (terciopersonal):

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se me olvidaron las llaves (a mí)

se me olvidó el dinero (a mí)

se te olvidó la cartera (a ti)

se le olvidó el número de teléfono (a él)

se le olvidaron los números de teléfono (a él)

Here, the subject is actually the object you forget, and the indirect object is the person who forgets.

Answer 2

olvidar vs olvidarse

unplanned occurences

I particularly like the blame shift concept. It fits right in with passive se and impersonal se.. hiding or de-emphasizing the role of the doer of the verb's action.