Difference between olvidar, olvidarse and olvidársele

[Peter]

What is the difference in meaning between these three forms of olvidar? Generally speaking I understand the use of reflexive verbs, but in this case...

Would it be correct to say that the translation to English is the same for the three forms? When would you use what form?

Any help is welcome.

Peter

[poli]

Olvidar is not used as a typical verb in Spanish. Most often it is passive.
I forgot the book is Se me olvidó el libro. (which translates something like
the book is forgotten unto me)
I have never heard olvidó el libro. I believe I have heard me olvida instead of se me olvida, but I'm not sure and a native Spanish speaker may be able to clarify this.
It is strange and not at all symmetric that the antonymn (recordar) doesn't work the same way. Acordar, the other word for remember in
Spanish is a reflexive verb.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I think "olvidar" would be always the same in English, despite the different forms, which can be pronominal or not.
We say "olvidarse de algo o alguien", "olvidar algo o a alguien", "olvidársele algo a alguien".

I forgot my keys at home.
Se me olvidaron las llaves en la casa. -> The most common expression in Mexico.
Olvidé las llaves en la casa. -> In Mexico, it might sound a little more "educated".
Me olvidé las llaves en la casa. -> A Mexican would never say this, but I think a Spaniard would find it natural.

Don't forget to call me tomorrow.
Que no se te olvide llamarme mañana. -> The most common expression.
No te olvides de llamarme mañana. = No olvides llamarme mañana. -> The educated variations for a Mexican.

I forgot my ex-boyfriend.
Se me olvidó mi ex-novio. -> Not wrong, but most people I know would prefer to avoid this construction when talking about people.
Olvidé a mi exnovio. -> The most common expression for a Mexican.
Me olvidé de mi exnovio. -> The educated variation.


In imperative we use:

Forget what I said
Olvida lo que dije.
Olvídate de lo que te dije.

[aleCcowaN]

Not a simple subject ...

There are many ways

Ia) "Olvidar" as a transitive verb -people of things end up forgotten-. The subject is a person, the direct object is the forgotten things or persons.

No olvide su vuelto/a (Don't forget your change)
No la había olvidado (He hadn't forgotten her)

Ib) Same, but the speaker can choose to add a pronombre átono which must agree with the subject

¡Me olvidé la llave en casa!

[I'll come back to this later]

II) "Olvidar" as an intransitive pronominal verb -people end up being kind of "one-time forgetters" of things and people-. The subject is a person and a complement starting with "de" identifies the things of people forgotten.

No te olvides de pedirle que te devuelva el libro (Don't forget to ask the book back)

III) "Olvidar" also as an intransitive pronominal verb, but with subject being the things or people forgotten and the person forgetting appears in an indirect complement:

Se te olvida quien manda aquí. (You're forgetting who's the boss)

We can also add that thing of dativo de interés -to show through a pronombre átono the people who is deeply affected by the action- and regional differences and different sociolects so there's a lot of things going on there. Some hints:

• Educated people use all forms according to the situation, although some regional differences may favour some use or other.
• Speakers in Spain and the Southern Cone may say that Mexicans use III too much. Some may say sometimes it sounds too much personal.
• Speakers in Mexico may say Spaniards and people in the Southern Cone use Ib and II too much. Some may say sometimes it sounds to much impersonal.
• Ask a native speaker and every one will give you a personal view -without realizing it's a personal view-.
• You can find patterns of uses:
  • You mustn't forget <regional> (Y no se te olvide ... /Y no te olvides ...)
  • I don't feel I'm responsible ... (Me olvidé el medicamento que tanto necesitabas / Se me olvidó ....)
  • It's good for you to forget (Olvídate de eso de una buena vez)
  • It's good for you to remember (No te olvides de eso)
• The speaker can change other parts of the speech to tune the message (Me olvidé de traerte ese medicamento que tanto necesitas ¡que vergüenza!)