Meaning and Usage
The verb '잊어버리다' means 'to forget' and is commonly used in everyday conversation to express that someone has completely forgotten something. It often implies a sense of finality or unintentional loss of memory.
Common Contexts
You will hear '잊어버리다' when talking about forgetting appointments, tasks, names, or important information. It is often used with objects like 약속 (appointment), 숙제 (homework), 이름 (name), or 물건 (thing).
Politeness and Form
'잊어버리다' is a standard verb and can be conjugated into polite forms like '잊어버렸어요' (forgot) or commands like '잊어버리지 마세요' (don't forget). It is appropriate in both casual and polite speech.
Common Collocations
- 잊어버리다 + object: to forget something completely
- 잊어버렸어요: past tense, 'forgot'
- 잊어버리지 마세요: polite negative command, 'don't forget'
Learner Tips
A common mistake is confusing '잊다' and '잊어버리다'. While both mean 'to forget', '잊어버리다' emphasizes the complete or accidental forgetting, often used in daily speech. Use '잊어버리다' to sound more natural and expressive when talking about forgetting something important or by accident.