Fuzzy Memories with minna
To express a fuzzy memory like "I seem to remember," use the verb minna.
| When does the movie start? I seem to remember tomorrow. | Hvenær byrjar bíómyndin? Mig minnir á morgun. |
The person experiencing the memory acts as a "quirky subject" in the accusative case, rather than the standard nominative. The verb itself stays locked in the third-person singular form (minnir).
- I: mig
- You: þig
- He: hann
- She: hana
A handy response when you are unsure is mig minnir það (I seem to remember that). Notice how the accusative pronoun shifts depending on who is doing the remembering:
| I am confused. Was the street name here? I seem to remember that. | Ég er ruglaður. Var götunafnið hér? Mig minnir það. |
| Do you seem to remember that, or are you confused? | Minnir þig það, eða ert þú ruglaður? |
| He is wearing a red sweater, but is he carrying a blue scarf? She seems to remember that. | Hann er í rauðri peysu, en er hann með bláan trefil? Hana minnir það. |
Expanding Memories with að
To stretch your sentence and say "I seem to remember that...", use the conjunction að followed by a new clause.
| The memory is unclear, but I seem to remember that I know the face. | Minnið er óskýrt en mig minnir að ég þekki andlitið. |
| I seem to remember that the birthday is today, but I do not recognize the face. | Mig minnir að afmælisdagurinn sé í dag en ég kannast ekki við andlitið. |
Recognizing Details
While minna is used for fuzzy recall, kannast við means "to recognize" a familiar face, voice, or place.
| I recognize the voice, but what is her name? I seem to remember Anna. | Ég kannast við röddina, en hvað heitir hún? Mig minnir Anna. |
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