erinnern
Translation
remembered, reminded
Examples
Sie erinnerte sich plötzlich an seinen Namen.
She suddenly remembered his name.
Der Geruch erinnerte ihn an sein Zuhause.
The smell reminded him of his home.
Grammar Patterns
sich⁴ an+4 erinnern to remember (sth.) He remembered his childhood.
j-n an+4 erinnern to remind (sb.) of (sth.) She reminded him of his promise.
Similar Words
Synonyms: dachte zurück (thought back), entsann sich (recalled); Antonym: vergaß (forgot)
Etymology
Base verb 'erinnern' + simple past suffix '-te' for weak verbs.
Memory Tips
This is the simple past (Präteritum) form, often used in written German or formal speech. In spoken German, 'hat erinnert' (present perfect) is more common.