AEE 2582: Did You Remember It or Memorize It?

This is an all-ears English podcast episode 2582. Did you remember it or memorize it? Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing On Connection, Not Perfection, with your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer. and Michelle Kaplan, the New York Radio Girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.

And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to all earsenglish.com forward slash subscribe. How do you know when to use the word memorize versus the word remember in English? Get all the subtle and not so subtle differences today. English is part of how you're evaluated, whether you like it or not. In meetings, in interviews, in negotiations, the question isn't whether your English is okay or good enough. It's whether it's working for you.

Is it getting you the promotions and the salary raises that you deserve? If not, this is the year to do something about it. Our free two-minute fluency quiz shows you your true English level, B1, B2, or C1. And where you can level up for real world success for your career or your global life in English. Take the quiz now for free at allearsenglish.com slash fluency slash. score. That's all earsenglish.com slash F-L-U-E-N-C-Y-S-C-O-R-E.

Hello there, Michelle. How's it going today? Good, Lindsay, how are you? Feeling good, feeling good. M Michelle, are you good at remembering all of the birthdays in your family? It sounds like you have a pretty big family. Mm-hmm. Um on on uh my family isn't that big, but uh Dan's family is big and so then when you add'em all together, it is a big family. Um

As far as birthday goes birthdays go, I'm pretty good, but there is there's a week in October where it's like everybody's birthday in the family. Okay. Okay. So so it's my dad's, his dad's. his sisters, his our niece and nephew interest um everybody's and so sometimes That gets a little confusing. And so that's that can be hard to remember. What about you, Lindsay? Are you gonna

You know, remembering birthdays. Yeah, family. I'm usually good. Friends, you know, it's so frustrating because I I decided to recommit to remembering friends' birthdays. I wrote them all in this app that I decided to to get a membership for for birthdays. And then the app offloaded and I lost all the birthdays. Well so now I just have to go back. It's better just have it all in the old noggin, right? In the old noggin.

It's funny, yeah. Sometimes I I I always think oh it's better to just be able to remember things and you know, not have uh always everything written down. It's good for your mind, but then I do forget Yeah, you do forget. I know, I know. And I feel so bad when a friend remembers and I forget theirs. Oh, it's such all it's such a mind trip. Yeah. What are we talking about today, Michelle? Um, so today we are going to talk about this really interesting topic that you brought up.

Um, which is very important and I bet a lot of our listeners are a little confused about this. And um it's the difference between remember Yes. And memorize. Yeah. I was having a conversation with a student sometime in the last last couple of weeks and and I heard this used incorrectly and I thought, oh, this would make a great episode, Michelle, for our listeners today. Right? Yeah. Yeah, definitely. So I this is a great idea. So

I'm excited to talk about this. And um before we do get into it, we are just so excited to say thank you to our reviewers. Yes, I want to say a huge thank you to Pijan one oh one from Taiwan who gave us a five star review by the way. uh on January twenty fifth an Apple Podcast. Huge thank you. Uh they said, I really like your podcasts. They're so interesting that I keep listening every day. That's fantastic. Thank you. And then we have Mac Shack from the US on January twenty third in Apple.

He said, My best podcast finding for this year. Thank you both a ton. So that sounds like a brand new listener. So huge shout out to our two amazing reviewers. Guys, if you want to hear your name announced on the show. Go ahead and review our show wherever you listen, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Castbox. In the iOS or Android app, whatever it is, leave us a review. We'll do our best to announce your name on the show. All right? Excellent. Perfect.

Okay, so let's start with memorize. Um, right? Yeah, very different. Lindsay, what is uh what is memorized? Tell us about it. Well, actually they're not that different, but they are different, right? They're related. Right. So they're very related, of course. Mem memorize and remember. So memorize is about learning something by heart.

We always say this expression learn it by heart. Why don't why don't we say it learn it by mind or learn it by I don't know. Uh we say learn it by heart. So we keep it in our mind with the aim of not forgetting it. This is pretty intentional. Um I remember doing a lot of this in school, Michelle, memorizing dates. historical dates, events, that kind of thing, names. Do you does that ring any bells for you? Oh yeah, of course. Well and I

And I used to, you know, when I did a lot of theater I used to have to memorize my lines. Yes. Oh of course. Oh my gosh. So it's really it's about that process of learning. Um and trying to keep something

get something to stick, right? Yes. Well well what about phone numbers, Lindsay? Do you have your partner's phone number memorized? I do, thank goodness. Right. Because I feel like I remember the days when we didn't have Cell phones and the d I remember like dialing my best friend's phone number next to the

store, right? And so it's still a concept to have a number, a phone number in my head. Right. And it's good to have it memorized. I remember it took Dan a very long time to memorize my phone number. And I'm like, come on. I know. I know. Come on. Right. I also d I also try and have my son, he he has our phone numbers memorized, so it's good to have your kids know your phone numbers. Um so um wait, I was just gonna say about something about phone numbers.

Oh, I forgot what it was, but it was fun. The whole couple about being an actor on stage, I've always wondered about this. I mean, how much time did it take you to memorize your lines for acting? I just don't even know how this works. And even in Hollywood, I don't get it. Yeah, it depend it depended on how many how many lines I had. But yeah, if I had a lot of lines, I mean I I

Yeah, it's hard. You you you kind of just chunk it up and have small goals and um Wow. Uh it it it it's um I I remember I had a process. Oh, oh, you know what I would do? I would- learn it and then I would write it down. Okay. So that's yeah. So I would I would I felt that writing it down kind of solidified it in my mind. Um And yeah, so that that was helpful. Oh, I know what I was gonna ask you. Do you still have phone numbers of

But you know, y you mentioned your friends and like uh childhood phone numbers memorized. Kind of. I still can remember my childhood home phone number. Like the landline. Uh me too. I I don't I don't think I could get my best friend's number, but almost maybe. Yeah. I could get I can get that. I I know my mom's old work phone number. I know um my best friend's n uh you know, landline. So

It's it's all up there somewhere. It's in there. It's in there. I mean it makes me worry a little bit sometimes with with Google Maps and everything, are we just gonna forget how to like how to memorize or how to remember? How to forget how to remember. Don't forget how to remember. Yeah. Um, so so I guess what we're getting at here is memorize is a little, is it more technical? Is it a more technical term? Like it's about the process. I I would agree with that. It says this process.

you know, t in order to keep something in your mind. Right. So before uh here, let's show how look in some sentences. So here's one about plays. So when I was in a lot of plays Uh it took me uh uh it took me a lot of time to memorize my lines, right? To do that process. That's a good one. Yep. And again, I'm still intrigued by that.

I'm teaching my kids to memorize my phone number and address. Very smart thing to do, right? Or I have to memorize these formulas for my math test. So Yeah. I I think it's also the different one of the key differences here. Is that memorize is a process, but it's also more word for word, like number for number. Whereas remember, well, we're gonna go into it now, Michelle. How is it different?

Yeah. So let's move on to remember. Um so to remember is to actually have that information in your head or something. Right. So this is more about the actual product of the memorization, right? The results, the ability to recall something. So you you know, I mean, Lindsay, do you remember much about what you learned in high school? I would say maybe half. Fifty fifty. That's pretty that's not bad. I feel like I'm r I'm relearning everything, especially historical stuff.

to history as much when I was a kid, like growing up in a small town. Like what do you know about World War One? Right. But now that I've gone to the battlefields in Belgium, like I'm much more likely to remember what I learn when I learn history now. So it sounds like though, Michelle, the difference here is like when we would use it. Like I could ask you, oh, Michelle, you had a performance last night. Did you memorize your did you remember your lines? And you could say, Yeah, because I had

I had what? I had memorized them. Right. Right. So if I remembered them, it means I didn't forget them. Right. Right. I was able to recall them. So yeah, actually you could use these sometimes I mean like listen, like uh if I said for the for the math test example, I have to memorize these formulas for my math test.

I could say I have to remember them. Right. Um but it's different. Yeah. Sorry, go ahead. Go ahead. No, no, no. You go ahead. Well, I'm just saying like it's a different process. So the idea of when does that memorization happen, it happens before the test. Whereas on test day you hope that you remember them. You don't hope you memorize them. You hope you already have memorized them. Right. It's the it's it's the result of the them memorization.

Exactly. So it's like if you memorized something, then you remember it. Exactly. Exactly. And then I think not everything that is remembered is always memorized, right? Like I remember my grandmother's face, but I didn't memorize her face. Right. She's gone married. Right. So that's what where we we're talking about like more carbon copy, this idea of word for word. That's a systematic process, but it's not done for everything we remember.

We have memories of our our first memory. We didn't memorize it, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Very good very good point. So let's show how remember looks. So yeah, here's one. I can't remember her name, right? You wouldn't say I can't memorize her name. It's like

I'm I I it's you're basically saying I didn't memorize it and so yeah, I can't remember it. Right. Versus a good example here is one of my favorite movies. I don't know why I I find this movie really good with Ben Affleck, uh the movie Argo. Uh everyone. Yeah, it's a great movie. Very dramatic, uh involving the CIA, etcetera. And okay, so when it comes to remembering names, they were given identities that they had to memorize.

They had to memorize every detail of their fake identity, right? They were supposed to be Canadian. And so the question is when they got to the airport to leave um Iran that day, did they remember it? Because they had memorized it. But you wouldn't memorize your friends your best f like you haven't memorized your best friend's name from Childhood. You don't need to, right?

So it's just that I I I just know it. Exactly. Yeah, exactly. It's it's different. It it is that process. It's a little more technical. Yeah. I definitely agree. Yeah. Um Yeah. Here's another one. Uh like if you said if you were talking to your friend, um, your childhood friend, you could say

Do you remember when we used to have food fights in the cafeteria? You wouldn't memorize that. It's just it's a memory. It's something that happened. You didn't have to there was no process, there was nothing that you were had to really try for. It's just that it became It naturally seeped into your mind as an experience. Perfect. So, in a sense, we can remember both things we've memorized and our memories.

Right. Hopefully, we're making this more clear, not more confusing for our listeners. Here's another example. I'm trying to remember where I met him. Right. That's not something you would have memorized. That's just a a life memory. Right. Right. Perfect. Right. Um, so yeah, essentially if you memorize something, if you do go through that process, if it's that kind of a thing that you you really have to try to remember, your goal is to remember. Right. You got it. Love it. Okay.

Maybelline syrup. Yeah.

All right, Michelle. So let's go over a couple of grammar points. I mean what do we need to know about grammar? It's not enough just to know the differences between these two words. We need to know what grammar goes with these two words. How to use them. Yeah. And there's more to all of this, but we're gonna that we could follow up on, but we're gonna teach the most important parts, the basics today. Yeah. So with remember

Right. Um, one way you can use it is to is to say remember to end the verb. Yeah. So for example, remember to buy milk at the store. So that's Have it in your mind. And do what is needed, right? Like put this in your head. Yes, exactly. I remember it's like a command, you know, please remember to buy milk. You ask your husband or something, remember to pick up the bread and the milk at the store, whatever.

Right. This is not something we've memorized, but again, remember to do something. Remember to verb. Good. Or this is looking back. I remember watching that show every day after school. This is memories, right? Mm-hmm. Right. So that would be verb and I and G. So I remember watching that show, I remember reading that book. I remember going on vacation with my friend, right? Yes. Yes, exactly. Love it. Um and then what about memorize, Michelle? Yeah.

uh you wouldn't use memorize with the verb an ING, right? You wouldn't say I I memorize going to the store, right? Right? That doesn't sound right to me. Um Generally a a memorize would just be followed by a noun, right? So to memorize something. Or I mean, of course, if you're using in a different form, to have something memorized. Um so she memorized all the words to the monologue just in time for the audition.

Exactly. You wouldn't memorize going to the store like the event of going. You might memorize like um unconsciously memorize the route to the store, maybe without even trying, right? You just learn it, right? Right. Yeah. Right, exactly. So I mean, um, like if you say okay, here, I mean, this is what I was just mentioning. So if I say I have something memorized, is that the same thing as remember?

I don't think so. No, no. I think it's it comes back to the process. Exactly. That's what I was gonna say. The more intentional pro I think that's other another key. It's more intentional. I'm gonna have a test tomorrow and my Yeah, my my senior history class, I have to memorize ten different dates.

Yes. Right. Right. You're using index cards, whatever it is. So you know there's there's more of a process. So all right, should we do a role play? Let's do it. So here we're roommates and we're leaving for a trip. We're locking up the house. Okay, very specific context. Yes. Did you remember to turn off the sink upstairs? Yes. I think I mean I remember going upstairs and checking everything. I think it's okay. Okay. Um I'll check again. Thanks.

Also, I memorized our hotel's address, so don't worry about that. Okay, great, thanks. I'm this way too. I'm sort of a checker. I I question myself as to whether I, you know, turned off the side. Lindsay were the same. Or you Yeah. Dan will always be like, like even just this weekend we were going out for the weekend and um

And it was before a snowstorm and I was nervous because, you know, you have to make certain preparations on your house. He had to p uh leave certain door th things open and whatever. So, you know, we I he got the kids in the car. And I said he's like, Okay, just lock up and I said, I don't like being the last person Yeah I feel that way too. And he's like, I trust you and and

I like no. Yeah, that that's even worse. That's even worse, right? When you get that comment because you're like, what if I mess this up? Yeah, it's true. It's true. We second guess ourselves with these little practical things sometimes.

Um but this these are good examples here. So let's go through this role play, Michelle, and see what we said. So I asked you, did you remember to turn off the sink upstairs? It wouldn't make any sense for me to say did you memorize nothing to do with memorizing, right? Right. It's I I uh like'cause you could've also just say

Right. I mean it's the opposite of the forget. Right. It's just what what is the impression you want to give to your friend, right? What do you assume about your friend? Yes. This one is a little more optimistic. Um then I said yes. I think and then I thought I mean I remember going upstairs and checking everything. So Uh verb ING. So I have this memory of doing that. It's fuzzy in my mind. I was checking a lot of things and now I'm uh

So I remember doing something, right? Good. And then and here we we bring in memorization, right? So you said also I memorized our hotel's address. So don't worry. So here You went through the intentional process of sitting down and committing something to memory, maybe systematically, maybe you have tricks. of how to do that. Right. Pneumatic devices or something. Right. Yeah. Well those are the best. Yeah. Um yeah. So I don't know why I had to memorize the hotel's address.

Yeah. It seems to be in twenty twenty six, right? Yeah, it does. But maybe I'm nervous we're all gonna lose our phones. Who knows? Sure. Um but i in any case I did it. And you're welcome. And I'm sure we got to the hotel just fine. Yeah. You're welcome. You I mean it is a good exercise to

to try now because with all this technology, we don't want our brains to just kinda like the go to mush, right? Yeah. Yeah. It's true. Exactly. Well, they always say that what you remember most is song lyrics from like songs from

Teenage ho teenager years or childhood, right? Do you remember do you ever hear a song that was from your childhood and you're like, how do I know all the words? But I don't know what I did yesterday. It's hilarious. Like sometimes I'll go to a workout class and the teacher will have like an eighties Yeah. Uh playlist from Spotify on there and I'll just know every word of every song. It's just incredible.

'Cause it's not like I sat down and tried to memorize those lyrics. Right. So it's a good reason to try to learn English with songs, with lyrics, because it's like we're having fun, there's emotion being invoked. Right. And we learn chunks and phrases as long as they're correct, grammatically right, which is another thing. But anyways

So Michelle, what's another episode that we could check out? All right, guys, check out episode twenty five seventy one that was Don't Let English Vocabulary Break Down on You. Nice. And for a takeaway. I mean, I just I feel like excited that we did this episode today because I have heard this mistake being made in very subtle context with students. Michelle, any other final takeaway that we want to leave our listeners with?

Yeah, we w I mean we uh we went over the basics today. Again, I would say, you know, if you're If you're going to remember one thing, I would say think of uh memorize being more of that process. Yeah, the process. That's that's kind of the most helpful takeaway um if you're wondering which one to use. Yeah. And the emotional things don't need a process because they're baked into your mind. You don't need to memorize your wedding day. Yeah, right. You'll always remove it.

All right. Good stuff today, Michelle. Well, you have a good rest of your day. Guys hit follow right here on the show and be sure to leave us a rating or review if you love our style. Alright. All right, Lindsay, thanks for chatting about this with me today and guys we'll see you in the next episode. Bye, Michelle. Thanks for listening to All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two-minute quiz. Go to all earsenglish.com forward slash

Fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.