忘れる

• Reading: わすれる
• Romaji: wasureru
• Kanji breakdown: 忘 (bō/wasu) — forget; 亡 (perish) + 心 (heart)
• Pronunciation: /wa.sɯ.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To forget; to leave behind carelessly; to be forgetful of something important.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. Used both for forgetting information (名前を忘れた) and physically leaving things behind (傘を忘れた). Often paired with てしまう to express regret: 忘れてしまった (I accidentally forgot). The noun form 忘れ物 (wasuremono) means 'forgotten item.'

Examples

1. 傘を電車に忘れてしまいました。 I accidentally left my umbrella on the train.
2. 彼女の誕生日を忘れないでください。 Please don't forget her birthday.
3. 宿題を家に忘れた。 I left my homework at home.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, school, travel

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 忘 combines 亡 (bō, to perish/be lost) with 心 (kokoro, heart), literally depicting something lost from the heart — a poetic description of forgetting.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal