vergessen vs versäumen
German word comparison
Listen to vergessen
Listen to versäumen
| vergessen | versäumen |
|---|---|
ver-GESS-en verb | /fɛɐ̯ˈzɔʏ̯mən/ (ver-SOY-men) verb |
| to forget; to fail to remember or to leave something behind unintentionally | to miss or fail to do something one should have done (e.g., an appointment, deadline, opportunity). |
How they differ
Versäumen implies neglecting an obligation or failing to take timely action (missing a deadline, not attending), while 'vergessen' describes a memory lapse; 'versäumen' carries more the idea of a consequential omission rather than just not remembering.
When to use each
When to use vergessen: Prefer 'vergessen' for everyday memory lapses, forgetting objects, or forgetting to do small tasks.
When to use versäumen: Use 'versäumen' when you missed an appointment, deadline, class, or other obligation and want to stress the missed action or its consequences.
Side-by-side examples
- Ich habe den Termin vergessen.
(I forgot the appointment.) - Ich habe den Termin versäumt.
(I missed the appointment / I failed to attend the appointment.)
Register & nuance: Versäumen is neutral to slightly formal and is frequently used in written contexts about obligations, deadlines, or responsibilities.