You asked, we'll try to answer! Are there differences between scordare and dimenticare, both of which mean "to forget?" If so, what's the difference? That is the question we'll set out to answer in this lesson. Yabla videos should provide us with plenty of examples to see and hear. 

There is a long article (in Italian) on the website of L'Accademia della Crusca, but the upshot is: La scelta dell’uno o dell’altro è dovuta a ragioni e abitudini linguistiche personali, di contesto o di gusto, in parte legate alla regione di provenienza (the choice of one or the other is due to personal linguistic reasons and habits, context, and taste, partly tied to the region one is from).

So, in a way, we could say, "We're done here." But let's explore a bit further. 

banner PLACEHOLDER

In our previous lesson about the song Quando sarai piccola, we discussed the etymology of the two verbs in question. Even though etymology does not define the current use of a word, it can be meaningful and help remember the verbs themselves. Knowing that dimenticare comes from mente (mind) and scordare comes from cuore (heart) is an enrichment for those who care. 

Philosopher and historian Benedetto Croce felt this difference: Croce scriveva in Conversazioni critiche (1950-1951, p. 69): 

L’italiano rammentare (e dimenticare) si riferiscono piuttosto alla mente, e il ricordare (e scordare),  si riferiscono piuttosto al cuore".

The Italian rammentare (and dimenticare) refer rather to the mind, and ricordare (and scordare), refer rather, to the heart.

Some Italians do feel there's a difference, as you can see in this forum discussion. It may be felt in certain regions or in certain (older) generations. In our previous lesson, we did mention that dimenticare was more neutral and scordare more personal. That is the opinion expressed in various sources, but certainly, L'Accademia della Crusca says it best. They both work just fine. 

Now that we have no particular concerns about meaning, we can move on to using the verbs.

Dimenticare

In this first example, the infinitive form of the verb is used as a sort of imperative.

Non dimenticare di prendere lo scontrino dopo aver pagato.

Don't forget to take the receipt after having paid.

Caption 52, Vocaboliamo Supermercato - Part 6

 Play Caption

 

When we want to use the verb as a plain, transitive verb, dimenticare is a solid choice, and the easiest.

Alle volte dimentico che sei un uomo, con dei bei baffi.

Sometimes I forget you're a man, with a nice moustache.

Captions 50-51, La compagnia del cigno S2 EP 2 - Part 4

 Play Caption

 

Even in compound tenses, where we have the participle, we use the auxiliary avere (to have). In the following example, the important element is la luce (the light). 

Eh, hai dimenticato la luce in bagno.

Hey, you forgot the light in the bathroom.

Caption 71, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP1 - Due americane a Roma - Part 17

 Play Caption

There are also more complicated ways to use dimenticare (and scordare) in compound tenses with and without pronouns, but we'll look at them in a future lesson. See this lesson about remembering and forgetting in Italian. 

Scordare

 

E non lo scorderò mai.

And I'll never forget it.

Caption 18, Acqua in bocca La pizza Margherita - Ep 7

 Play Caption

Scordare takes the auxiliary avere when used in a straightforward construction as below. 

Ho scordato gli agrumi. 

I forgot the citrus fruit.

Caption 11, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

But it is very common to hear scordare (or scordarsi) in a compound tense in its reflexive or pronominal form.  

Non mi dire che ti sei scordato la banconota da cinquecento.

Don't tell me that you forgot the five-hundred banknote.

Caption 50, La Ladra EP. 11 - Un esame importante - Part 6

 Play Caption

And there is a great expression using this verb. It's the equivalent of "Forget about it." "You wish!" "No way!"

Se stai cercando di farmi cambiare idea sul fatto che ti voglio sposare, scordatelo. Chiaro?

If you're trying to make me change my mind about wanting to marry you, forget about it. Clear?

Caption 29, Il Commissario Manara S2EP1 - Matrimonio con delitto - Part 15

 Play Caption

Note: In scordatelo, the stress is on the first syllable.

🎻 Keep in mind that in music, scordare also means to be or to go out of tune.

La corda di mi del mio violino si è scordata, la devo riaccordare prima di cominciare a suonare (the e string on my violin is out of tune, I have to tune it again before starting to play).

Here we have the verb accordare (to tune) from the noun la corda (the string). But when someone is singing out of tune, or when referring to poor intonazione (intonation), the verb is stonare with stonato being the adjective. 

Thanks for reading. Write to us at [email protected]

banner5 PLACEHOLDER

One stumbling block, when translating Italian into English, is when the third-person plural is used to mean "someone." If we look for the Italian translation of "someone," we find qualcuno.  We can certainly use that but it's typical to hear someone say, for example, hanno suonato (someone rang [the doorbell]). The literal translation would be "they rang," but that does not work in English. 

In our first example, Renzo, the architect is talking to his designers about opening up the space to let more light in. He is distracted and doesn't hear the doorbell. The designer uses the third-person plural instead of qualcuno ha suonato. 

Dobbiamo aprire? -Sì, aprire. Aprire, aprire qui, aprire qui. -Dicevo la porta, hanno suonato. -E apri, che aspetti?

Should we open? -Yes, open. Open, open here, open here. -I was talking about the door, someone rang [the doorbell]. -So, open up, what are you waiting for?

Captions 60-63, Provaci ancora prof! S3EP1 - Due americane a Roma - Part 18

 Play Caption

 

And we will just add, for general information, that while in English, we usually say, "I'll get the door" or "I'll open the door," it is typical to omit the object la porta. We just use the verb aprire (to open) by itself. 

Vai ad aprire (go open the door)

The third person plural is also used in place of the passive voice or the impersonale third-person singular. This happens when the agent is not known, not mentioned, or not important. In English, we often use the passive voice in these cases.

banner3 PLACEHOLDER

Adriano Olivetti has given a movie camera to his American friend and she is thanking him.

Ma Lei lo sa che questa cinepresa la usano nei reportage di guerra? -Ah sì? -Sì, perché può funzionare in qualsiasi condizione. -Me l'hanno consigliata. 

But you know that this camera is used in war reporting? -Oh yes? -Yes, because it can function under any conditions. -They recommended it to me. [It was recommended to me].

Captions 18-20, Adriano Olivetti La forza di un sogno Ep.2 - Part 3

 Play Caption

Agent Bates could have used the passive with the verb venire:

Ma Lei lo sa che questa cinepresa viene usata nei reportage di guerra?

Or she could have used the impersonale:

Ma Lei lo sa che questa cinepresa si usa nei reportage di guerra?

Thanks for reading. If you come across verbs in the third-person plural that mean "someone" or are used in place of the passive voice or the impersonale, let us know and we'll add them to this lesson. Write to us at [email protected].

banner5 PLACEHOLDER