Whether you’re chatting with a friend or sitting in a meeting, there are moments when you need to express that you remember — or forgot — something. These 70 expressions will help you sound more natural and confident in everyday English conversations.
Expressions for Remembering
Common Expressions for Remembering
Here are the most frequently used expressions to say “I remember” in English:
- I remember…
“I remember meeting her at the conference last year.”
- I’ll never forget…
“I’ll never forget the look on his face when he opened the gift.”
- I’ll always remember…
“I’ll always remember how kind you were to me during that difficult time.”
- As I recall…
“As I recall, the deadline was moved to Friday.”
- If I remember correctly…
“If I remember correctly, the restaurant is on Main Street.”
- If (my) memory serves me correctly,…
“If my memory serves me correctly, we met in 2019.”
- If I’m not mistaken…
“If I’m not mistaken, she used to work at Google.”
- Now I come to think of it…
“Now I come to think of it, he did mention something about moving.”
- I can clearly remember…
“I can clearly remember the day my daughter was born.”
- I have a vague recollection of…
“I have a vague recollection of signing that document, but I’m not sure.”
Formal Expressions for Remembering
Use these in professional settings, meetings, or written communication:
- To the best of my recollection…
“To the best of my recollection, the contract was signed in March.”
- (Suitable for legal or business contexts) So far as my memory serves me…
“So far as my memory serves me, we agreed on a 10% discount.”
- To the extent of my recollection…
“To the extent of my recollection, the policy was updated last quarter.”
- To the best of my knowledge and recollection…
“To the best of my knowledge and recollection, no changes were made to the agreement.”
- Based on my recollection…
“Based on my recollection, the client preferred the second option.”
- To my knowledge and recollection…
“To my knowledge and recollection, we have never received such a complaint.”
- As far as I am able to recall…
“As far as I am able to recall, the meeting lasted about two hours.”
- According to my recollection…
“According to my recollection, the budget was approved unanimously.”
- Let me see if I can recall the details.
“Let me see if I can recall the details — I believe the event was held on a Saturday.”
- I believe that I remember this.
“I believe that I remember this — we discussed the pricing in our last call.”
Informal Expressions for Remembering
Use these with friends, family, or in casual settings:
- As far back as I can remember…
“As far back as I can remember, my grandma always made cookies on Sunday.”
- From what I can remember…
“From what I can remember, the party was pretty fun.”
- If memory serves me right…
“If memory serves me right, you still owe me ten bucks!”
- From what I remember…
“From what I remember, the movie was about two hours long.”
- Hmmm, let me see if I can think back on it.
“Hmmm, let me see if I can think back on it — I think we went to that Italian place.”
- I’m pretty sure I remember this.
“I’m pretty sure I remember this — she was wearing a red dress.”
- Oh wait, it’s coming back to me now.
“Oh wait, it’s coming back to me now — his name was Daniel!”
- Come to think of it…
“Come to think of it, I did leave my keys on the kitchen counter.
Idiomatic Expressions for Remembering
- It’s on the tip of my tongue.
Use this when you almost remember something but can’t quite get it.
“What’s that actor’s name? It’s on the tip of my tongue!”
- It’s ringing a bell.
Use this when something sounds familiar but you’re not completely sure.
“That name is ringing a bell — have we met before?”
- It rings a bell.
“The address rings a bell, but I can’t picture the building.”
- Something jogged my memory.
“Seeing that old photo really jogged my memory about our school trip.”
- It all came flooding back.
“When I heard the song, it all came flooding back — every memory from that summer.”
Expressions for Forgetting
Common Expressions for Forgetting
- I forgot.
“I forgot to buy milk on the way home.”
- I can’t remember.
“I can’t remember where I put my glasses.”
- I don’t remember.
“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”
- My mind went blank.
“I studied all night, but during the exam, my mind went blank.”
- It completely slipped my mind.
“I’m so sorry — your birthday completely slipped my mind.”
- I lost my train of thought.
“Sorry, what was I saying? I completely lost my train of thought.”
- It doesn’t ring a bell.
“John Parker? No, that doesn’t ring a bell.”
- It went in one ear and out the other.
“My mom told me to clean my room, but it went in one ear and out the other.”
- Can you refresh my memory?
“I know we talked about this, but can you refresh my memory?”
- I had a senior moment.
“I walked into the kitchen and forgot why — I had a senior moment.”
- It escaped my memory.
“Her phone number has completely escaped my memory.”
- I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached.
“I lost my keys again — I’d forget my head if it wasn’t attached!”
- I failed to remember.
“I failed to remember the appointment and missed it entirely.”
Formal Expressions for Forgetting
Use these in business emails, meetings, or professional settings:
- I am unable to recall.
“I am unable to recall the specific figures from last quarter’s report.”
- The memory eludes me.
“I know we discussed this, but the memory eludes me at the moment.”
- The information is not retained in my memory.
“Unfortunately, the information is not retained in my memory.”
- I am at a loss to recall.
“I am at a loss to recall the exact terms of the agreement.”
- The recollection escapes me.
“The recollection escapes me — could you provide the details again?”
- My memory fails me in this instance.
“I apologize, but my memory fails me in this instance.”
- I must have forgotten about it.
“I must have forgotten about it — thank you for the reminder.”
- It slipped my memory.
“The appointment slipped my memory entirely. Can we reschedule?”
Informal Expressions for Forgetting
- I totally blanked.
“She asked me her name and I totally blanked.”
- I spaced out.
“Sorry, I spaced out for a second — what did you say?”
- I have no idea.
“Where did I park? I have no idea.”
- It’s not coming to me.
“I know the answer, but it’s just not coming to me right now.”
- My memory’s a bit foggy.
“It was a long time ago — my memory’s a bit foggy.”
- I completely blanked out.
“I was supposed to introduce myself and I completely blanked out.”
- Oops, my brain must have gone on vacation.
“I forgot your name again — oops, my brain must have gone on vacation!”
- I drew a blank.
“The teacher asked me the answer and I drew a blank.”
Idiomatic Expressions for Forgetting
- It slipped my mind.
A very common way to say you forgot something unintentionally.
“I was going to call you, but it slipped my mind.”
- It flew out of my head.
Expresses that you forgot something suddenly, as if it flew away.
“I knew the password yesterday, but it flew out of my head.”
- It fell by the wayside.
Implies something was forgotten or neglected over time.
“I started learning guitar, but it fell by the wayside when I got busy.”
- I have a memory like a sieve.
Means you forget things very easily and frequently.
“Don’t trust me with the shopping list — I have a memory like a sieve.”
- It’s gone right out of my head.
“What was I going to say? It’s gone right out of my head.”
Quick Reference: Remembering vs. Forgetting
When you want to sound casual:
- “I’m pretty sure…”
- “I totally blanked.”
When you want to sound professional:
- “To the best of my recollection…”
- “The recollection escapes me.”
When you want to sound natural:
- “If I remember correctly…”
- “It slipped my mind.”
Practice using 2-3 of these expressions each week, and they’ll become a natural part of your English vocabulary.