覚えます（おぼえます、oboemasu）
- to memorize

The Japanese verb 覚えます oboe-masu means "to remember," "to memorize," "to learn," or "to recall." It describes the act of retaining information in one's mind. The specific meaning can shift slightly depending on the context, but the core idea of acquiring and holding onto knowledge is consistent. It can refer to memorizing facts, learning skills, or simply remembering events.

⚫︎ 日本語を覚えます Translation: I remember Japanese / I learn Japanese / I memorize Japanese. ⚫︎ 住所を覚えますか？ Translation: Do you remember the address? ⚫︎ 名前を覚えます Translation: I remember the name.

⚫︎ 覚えます is used when you are actively trying to remember or learn something. ⚫︎ It can describe a conscious effort to memorize or it can describe the passive retention of information. ⚫︎ You can use this word when you want to say you learned something. ⚫︎ The tense will change depending on the context: 覚えます（present/future, "I will remember/learn/memorize"), 覚えました（past, "I remembered/learned/memorized").

⚫︎ This word is typically written using the kanji 覚 and the hiragana えます. ⚫︎ The reading is おぼえます in hiragana. ⚫︎ The kanji 覚 can also be used in other words. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana (suffix hiragana).

⚫︎ 暗記します ankimasu - To memorize (more formal) ⚫︎ 記憶します kioku shimasu - To remember; to memorize (formal) ⚫︎ 思い出します omoidashimasu - To remember (to recall)

⚫︎ 忘れます wasuremasu - To forget

試験のために、たくさんの単語を覚えます。 ・Translation: I memorize many words for the exam. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates the active memorization of vocabulary for a test.

先生の名前を覚えました。 ・Translation: I remembered the teacher's name. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the successful recalling of the teacher's name.

The kanji 覚 has several meanings related to "awareness," "perception," and "memory." The word 覚えます has been used in Japanese for centuries, evolving over time with the development of the language and writing system. The exact etymology traces back to the ancient use of the kanji character and how it was employed to signify the concept of remembering and perceiving.