Cher and I are contacted frequently by our lovely readers who want to ask questions or just send us quick notes as a way to practice Italian (thank you by the way, we love your emails!).
And, in all these messages, over the years, we started to notice a theme. When someone can’t recall something in particular in Italian, they automatically switched to English to say, “I can’t remember” or “I don’t know.” This got us thinking, maybe it was worth adding those phrases to your studies, so you can keep the conversation flowing in Italian.
Next time, you find yourself struggling to recall a certain word or phrase, try these on for size.
Phrases
To express uncertainty:
— Non lo so. – I don’t know.
— Boh. – I don’t know (technically this is a sound, not a word per se, but you can learn more about it here).
— Non mi viene in mente. – It doesn’t come to mind (a word or phrase doesn’t come to mind).
— Devo pensare un secondo. – I need to think for a second.
— Aspetta un attimo. – Wait a second.
Phrase to actually say you don’t remember:
— Non mi ricordo. – I don’t remember (note: the verb, ricordare (ricordarsi) is reflexive).
— Mi sono scordato/a. – I didn’t remember (past tense) / I forgot (note: here the verb is reflexive and in this case, you would use this if you’re telling someone you forgot something that happened in the past, like “mi sono scordata il suo compleanno!” – I forgot his birthday!).
— Ho dimenticato. – I forgot.
— Mi scordo. – I don’t remember (present tense).
Example: Mi scordo sempre il passato prossimo – I always forget the past tense!
— Mi è passato di mente. – It slipped my mind.
And just to add some more fun to the mix, when you want to say, “forget it” as in, let it go, or let’s not talk about it:
— Lascia perdere. – Let it go.
— Lascia stare. – Let it stay (i.e. let it go).
— Non ci pensare. – Let’s not think about it.
— Non è importante / Niente di importante. – It’s not important.
Do you have other ways you express yourself when you can’t remember something in Italian? Let us know your favorites in the comments!
Molto utile, grazie. I appreciate the background and context. Moreover the links to the use of sounds such as boh and beh and associated examples of usage are very helpful. My holidays in Abruzzo and communication are being made easier by the day with articles like this.
Prego Don! I am so happy you liked it, what a nice comment! 🙂
Very informative Rachel! Thanks
Prego! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this accessible and enjoyable method of teaching Italian! I have learned more from Cher than from any other source. In reviewing the “I forgot how to say it” lesson, with “let me think” fammi pensare, it reminds me that I’m ALWAYS wondering how to say “let’s”… let’s get lunch, yes, let’s do it, let’s speak only in Italian today, etc. Many thanks for your invaluable tutoring! Un abbraccio, Lucinda
Grazie per le belle parole! I am glad you enjoyed the article and the site!
Grazie Mille per questa meravigliosa aiuta!! It is amazing how much I have learned since receiving this emails and how much more confident I feel to speak on my own. I have still a way to go, but I’m loving it !!
Woo! Bravissima! So happy to hear that!