Learn Hardcore Japanese: mukae no zikan wo wasuremasita.

迎え (むかえ) is a noun form of the verb 迎える, meaning “to go meet someone” or “to pick someone up.” Here, 迎え refers to the “pick-up” (e.g. someone coming to pick you up).

Why is there a の between 迎え and 時間?

In Japanese, A の B links two nouns so that B is described by A. 迎えの時間 literally means “the time of the pick-up” (i.e. “pick-up time”). Without の, the relationship wouldn’t be clearly expressed.

Why is 時間 marked with the particle を?

The verb 忘れる (わすれる, “to forget”) takes a direct object, so the thing being forgotten is marked with を. Thus 時間を忘れました means “(I) forgot the time.”

Why is 忘れました in the past polite form rather than the present or plain form?

This sentence describes an event that already happened (“I forgot”), so it uses the past tense. It also uses the polite form —ました (rather than the plain 忘れた) because the speaker is being polite or speaking in a formal context.

Can I say 迎えの時間を忘れた instead?

Yes. 迎えの時間を忘れた is the plain past form and would be used in casual conversations among friends. In formal or polite situations, 忘れました is preferred.

Why is there no subject like 私 in the sentence?

In Japanese, subjects are often omitted when they’re clear from context. Here, it’s obvious the speaker is talking about themselves, so 私 is not necessary. You could say 私は迎えの時間を忘れました for emphasis or clarity, but it’s not required.

Could I combine 迎え and 時間 into 迎え時間 without の?

While you might sometimes see 迎え時間, it’s less common and sounds somewhat unnatural. Using の (迎えの時間) clearly indicates “the time for pick-up.” Japanese learners will generally find 迎えの時間 more natural and widely used.

Is the word order always [noun + を + 忘れました]?

Typically, yes: the thing you forget goes before 忘れる with を. However, you can add other elements (like adverbs) before or after, e.g. すっかり迎えの時間を忘れてしまいました (“I completely forgot the pick-up time”). The core structure remains [object を忘れる].