How to Say “Don’t forget to…” in Spanish

Introduction

Reminding someone not to forget something is a daily communication need, whether you’re preparing for a trip, organizing a meeting, or simply helping a friend remember an important task. In Spanish, there are several ways to express this essential phrase, each with its own level of formality and regional flavor. This comprehensive guide will teach you the most common and useful ways to say don’t forget to in Spanish.

The Standard Way: No Olvides

The most common way to tell someone not to forget something in Spanish is no olvides. This phrase uses the negative command form of the verb olvidar, which means to forget. The construction is straightforward and widely understood across all Spanish-speaking countries.

When you say no olvides, you’re using the informal you form, which is appropriate for friends, family, children, and people you’re on familiar terms with. Here are some practical examples:

No olvides traer tu pasaporte – Don’t forget to bring your passport
No olvides llamar a tu madre – Don’t forget to call your mother
No olvides cerrar la puerta – Don’t forget to close the door

Notice how the verb that follows no olvides is always in the infinitive form. This pattern remains consistent regardless of what action you’re reminding someone to do.

The Formal Version: No Olvide

When speaking to someone you should address formally, such as your boss, an elderly person, or someone you’ve just met, you’ll want to use no olvide instead. This is the formal command form, and the only difference from the informal version is the final vowel.

Examples in formal contexts include:

No olvide enviar el informe antes del viernes – Don’t forget to send the report before Friday
No olvide confirmar su asistencia – Don’t forget to confirm your attendance
No olvide traer los documentos necesarios – Don’t forget to bring the necessary documents

The distinction between no olvides and no olvide is crucial in Spanish-speaking cultures, where using the wrong level of formality can come across as either too familiar or unnecessarily distant.

Addressing Multiple People: No Olviden

When you need to remind a group of people, Spanish has a specific plural form: no olviden. This works for both formal and informal groups in most of Latin America, though Spain uses a different form for informal plural situations.

Common examples include:

No olviden estudiar para el examen – Don’t forget to study for the exam
No olviden llegar temprano mañana – Don’t forget to arrive early tomorrow
No olviden apagar las luces al salir – Don’t forget to turn off the lights when leaving

In Spain, when speaking informally to a group, you might hear no olvidéis instead, which uses the vosotros form. However, no olviden remains universally understood and is the safer choice for learners.

Alternative Expressions: Asegúrate de and Acuérdate de

Spanish offers several alternative ways to express the same idea, each adding a slightly different nuance. Asegúrate de literally means make sure to, and it carries a sense of ensuring something gets done.

Examples with asegúrate de:

Asegúrate de revisar tu correo – Make sure to check your email
Asegúrate de guardar el recibo – Make sure to save the receipt
Asegúrate de llevar suficiente dinero – Make sure to bring enough money

Another common alternative is acuérdate de, which means remember to. While it’s technically not a negative command like don’t forget, it serves the same practical purpose.

Examples include:

Acuérdate de comprar leche – Remember to buy milk
Acuérdate de tomar tus vitaminas – Remember to take your vitamins
Acuérdate de regar las plantas – Remember to water the plants

The formal versions of these alternatives are asegúrese de and acuérdese de, following the same pattern as the formal no olvide.

Adding Emphasis: No Se Te Olvide

For extra emphasis, Spanish speakers often use the reflexive construction no se te olvide. This phrase adds an extra layer of meaning, essentially saying don’t let it slip your mind or make sure it doesn’t escape you.

This construction is particularly popular in Mexican Spanish and other Latin American varieties:

No se te olvide que mañana es mi cumpleaños – Don’t forget that tomorrow is my birthday
No se te olvide sacar la basura – Don’t forget to take out the trash
No se te olvide que tenemos reunión a las tres – Don’t forget we have a meeting at three

The plural form is no se les olvide, and the formal singular is no se le olvide. This construction might seem complex at first, but it’s very common in everyday conversation and adds authenticity to your Spanish.

Regional Variations and Colloquialisms

Different Spanish-speaking regions have their own preferred ways of expressing reminders. In Argentina and Uruguay, you might hear no te olvides with the vos form instead of tú. This is the standard way to speak informally in these countries.

In some Caribbean countries, particularly in informal speech, people might say no vayas a olvidar, which literally means don’t go forgetting. While grammatically a future construction, it functions as a reminder.

Example:
No vayas a olvidar la cita con el dentista – Don’t forget the dentist appointment

Understanding these regional differences helps you communicate more naturally when traveling or speaking with people from different countries, though the standard no olvides will always be understood.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One frequent error learners make is forgetting the negative no at the beginning of the phrase. Saying just olvides actually means the opposite—it’s a command telling someone to forget, which is rarely what you intend.

Another common mistake is using the wrong verb form after the reminder phrase. Remember that the verb following no olvides should always be in the infinitive, not conjugated. For example, no olvides compras is incorrect; the correct form is no olvides comprar.

Also, be careful not to confuse olvidar with recordar. While recordar means to remember, when you want to say don’t forget, you still need to use olvidar with the negative, not recordar with the negative, which would mean don’t remember.

Practical Situations and Sample Conversations

Let’s look at how these phrases work in real-life contexts. Imagine you’re preparing for a trip with a friend:

Person A: Ya casi terminamos de empacar – We’re almost done packing
Person B: No olvides traer el cargador de tu teléfono – Don’t forget to bring your phone charger
Person A: Buena idea, y no se te olvide tu cámara – Good idea, and don’t forget your camera

In a work setting with more formality:

Manager: No olvide presentar el reporte antes de las cinco – Don’t forget to submit the report before five
Employee: Por supuesto, y asegúrese de revisar el documento que le envié – Of course, and make sure to review the document I sent you

These examples demonstrate how naturally these phrases flow in everyday Spanish conversation and how the level of formality shifts based on the relationship between speakers.

Building Your Vocabulary: Related Expressions

To round out your ability to give reminders in Spanish, it’s helpful to know related expressions. Ten en cuenta means keep in mind or bear in mind, which is useful for gentle reminders about important considerations.

Example:
Ten en cuenta que el banco cierra a las cuatro – Keep in mind that the bank closes at four

Another useful phrase is recuerda que, which means remember that and is often used to remind someone of a fact or piece of information rather than an action.

Example:
Recuerda que mañana es feriado – Remember that tomorrow is a holiday

These phrases complement your reminder toolkit and help you express yourself more precisely in different situations.

Conclusion

Mastering how to say don’t forget to in Spanish opens up essential communication possibilities in daily life. Whether you choose the standard no olvides, the emphatic no se te olvide, or alternatives like asegúrate de, you now have multiple ways to remind others effectively. Remember to adjust your formality level based on your relationship with the listener, and don’t hesitate to practice these phrases in real conversations. With time, these expressions will become second nature in your Spanish communication.