I forgot to ask your name.

Question

How to say in spanish?

1.. Se me olvidó preguntarte cuál es tu nombre?

2..Me olvidé de preguntarte cuál es tu nombre?

Are they both correct?

Answer 1

Olvidé preguntar tu nombre is more simple, but you can't ask that, that would be weird, except if you're in fact asking if you forgot to ask a question, and you are not asking the name. Instead of that, you must say something like "Olvide preguntarte, ¿cómo te llamas?"

Answer 2

I don't know that you need the Me in the 2nd one, but it's OK and is sometimes used.

The first one has more a sense of being very accidental, and the 2nd more open, but I think they are both good.

Right, "me" isn´t used with "olvide de". Nice explanation! The major difference: #1 puts the blame on a circumstance. #2 puts the blame on myself. #1 is very handy! - 005faa61, Mar 8, 2013

Uh, I think you might have that backwards. Refer to the spanishdict entry: http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/to%20forget - BigMike, Mar 8, 2013

No, Julian is definitely right. The first conveys no responsibility and completely accidental, and the 2nd is a more open admission of messing up. - rogspax, Mar 9, 2013

Answer 3

Se me olvidó preguntarte tu nombre

This has the feeling of "it slipped my mind"

Me olvide de preguntarte tu nombre

Plain and simple, I forgot.

Notice I simplified things by taking out the "cual". Always simplify things if you can.

At the end of the day, all the different structures simply translate to I forgot. Analyze it too much and you'll just confuse yourself.

Try this link for more info:

http://myspanishnotes.blogspot.com/2008/07/me-olvide-olvidar-vs-olvidarse.html

Answer 4

se me olvido la pregunta

olvidó - rogspax, Mar 8, 2013