Translation guide
The state or tendency of being unable to remember things. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns describing the trait, adjectives for a forgetful person, and verbs for the act of forgetting. The most common and natural way to describe a forgetful person is using the adjective 忘れっぽい.
Describing someone's general tendency to forget things easily.
An i-adjective meaning 'forgetful' or 'prone to forgetting'. This is the most common and natural way to describe a person who often forgets things.
He's forgetful, so he should take notes.
I feel like I've become forgetful lately.
A noun meaning 'forgetfulness' or 'memory lapse'. Often used in the phrase 物忘れが激しい (to be very forgetful).
As you get older, forgetfulness becomes more severe.
I'm troubled by my frequent forgetfulness.
A formal, technical term for 'amnesia' or 'memory loss', often used in medical contexts. Not used in everyday conversation.
They are researching treatments for amnesia.
Referring to the action of forgetting something specific.
The basic verb meaning 'to forget'. Use this for specific instances of forgetting.
I forgot the appointment.
A formal noun/する-verb meaning 'to forget' or 'slip one's mind'. Often used in business or polite apologies.
A noun/する-verb meaning 'lapse of memory' or 'temporary forgetfulness', often for something you should know well, like a name.
Describing something that has been forgotten or left behind.
A noun meaning 'lost item' or 'something left behind'. Commonly used for personal belongings.
I left something on the train.
Passive form meaning 'to be completely forgotten' or 'to fade into oblivion'. Used for things that are no longer remembered.
忘れっぽい is an adjective describing a person's character (forgetful), while 物忘れ is a noun referring to the phenomenon of forgetfulness or memory lapses. Use 忘れっぽい to say someone is forgetful, and 物忘れ to talk about the forgetfulness itself.
He is forgetful.
He has terrible forgetfulness.
忘却 (ぼうきゃく) is a formal, literary word for 'oblivion' or 'forgetting'. It is not used in everyday conversation about ordinary forgetfulness. Stick to 忘れる or 忘れっぽい for daily use.
I forgot his name.
その件は失念しておりました。申し訳ございません。
That matter had slipped my mind. I apologize.
彼の名前が度忘れして出てこない。
His name has slipped my mind and I can't recall it.
Please check that you haven't left anything behind.
That incident has been forgotten by people.