Acordar vs Acordarse: Similar verbs with very different meanings

A common challenge for Spanish learners is distinguishing between verbs that sound the same but have different meanings and uses. A clear example of this situation is acordar vs acordarse. They look similar, but they have distinctly different meanings in Spanish.

In today’s post we’ll take a close look at the differences between acordar vs acordarse. We’ll look at each one in turn, providing definitions, explanations, and examples in context, first of acordar and then of acordarse. We’ll wrap up with a quick discussion on the main points to distinguish between the two verbs, and end with some exercises to make sure you have them both clear.

Now let’s get started with a close look at acordar and acordarse in Spanish!

Acordar in Spanish: to agree

The main English translation of acordar in Spanish is to agree on something. We’ll see several nuances of this acordar meaning in a moment.

First we need to mention that acordar is an irregular verb, with an o to ue stem change in several verb tenses. It follows the same conjugation pattern as recordar.

Acordar is a transitive verb in Spanish, which means that it needs a direct object to receive the action. We explain transitive verbs in more detail in our post on direct object pronouns in Spanish.

Now we’re ready to look at our various Spanish acordar meanings.

To decide something jointly

In this first context, we use acordar to indicate that a few people jointly make a decision together. The direct objects here are subordinate clauses that begin with verbs in their infinitive forms to describe what has been jointly decided.

• Hemos acordado celebrar nuestra boda en Madrid. – We have agreed to celebrate our wedding in Madrid.

• Ellos acordaron ir de vacaciones a Colombia. – They agreed to go on holiday to Colombia.

To come to a consensus on something

This acordar meaning is very similar to the previous one, with the nuance of signifying that a group of people make a specific decision together. In our first example below, the “something” they come to a consensus on begins with another verb in the infinitive, while in the second the direct object is a noun.

• The company had agreed to raise the salaries of their employees. – La compañía había acordado subir el sueldo a sus empleados.

• Después de horas de deliberación, el jurado acordó un veredicto. – After hours of deliberation, the jury reached a consensus on a verdict.

To reach an agreement

Here, acordar is used to express the act of reaching an agreement. In these examples, acordar is followed by a noun.

• Los políticos acordaron medidas para el orden mundial. – The politicians reached an agreement on measures for the new world order.

• Los gerentes acordarán nuevas reglas para la empresa. – The managers will come to an agreement on the new company rules.

Acordar vs Quedar en

So far, we’ve seen that acordar in Spanish has a slightly formal connotation. For contexts where the agreement is built on another verb in the infinitive, a slightly less formal option is to use quedar en instead. Otherwise, the meaning is the same.

• Julia y yo acordamos vernos a las 10:30. (more formal) – Julia y yo quedamos en vernos a las 10:30. (less formal) – Julia and I agreed to meet up at 10:30.

• Ellos acordaron ir al parque mañana. (more formal) – Ellos quedaron en ir al parque mañana. (less formal) – They agreed to go to the park tomorrow.

Note that this use of quedar always needs the preposition en. Without it, quedar has several other meanings.

Acordarse in Spanish: to remember

The main English meaning of acordarse in Spanish is to remember something. A synonym in Spanish is recordar, but the two are used a bit differently since recordar isn’t reflexive. We compare these two in our post on recordar vs acordarse.

Acordarse is a reflexive verb, which we can recognize because the infinitive ends with -se. It’s conjugation is identical to acordar, except that it always needs to also include the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject.

Since acordarse in Spanish refers to remembering, the reflexive pronoun is important because it highlights the personal act of recollection that the subject does for themself.

When conjugated, acordarse is almost always followed by the preposition de to introduce whatever noun is being remembered. The same construction applies when we follow our conjugation of acordarse with another verb in its infinitive form. This de indicates that we’re having a memory of something.

Now let’s see the usages and examples of acordarse in Spanish.

To recall a past event

Acordarse here is used to convey the act of recalling a specific past event having a personal significance for the speaker.

• Ella siempre se acuerda de nuestra primera cita. – She always remembers our first date.

• Nosotros nos acordamos de nuestro viaje a Europa. – We recall our trip to Europe.

To remember a specific piece of information

In this context, we can use acordarse to ask if someone remembers something specific.

• ¿Tu mamá se acuerda de la receta de su abuela? – Does your mother remember her grandmother’s recipe?

• ¿Te acuerdas de cuando conocimos a esas drag queens a México? – Do you remember when we met those drag queens in Mexico City?

To be reminded of something

Here, our use of acordarse is to express how someone’s memory is triggered by an external action. This use is really to describe an act of recollection, which is often sentimental.

• Cada vez que escucho esta canción, me acuerdo de ti. – Every time I hear this song, I’m reminded of you.

• Mi papá se acuerda de nosotros cuando ve a nuestros amigos de la escuela. – My dad thinks of us when he runs into our friends from school.

Acordar vs Acordarse: Key differences

Now that we’ve seen the distinct meanings of both acordar and acordarse, let’s just recap the key differences between these two similar verbs.

Acordar implies reaching an agreement or a joint decision, often involving two or more parties making a collective decision. Sentences that use acordar often begin with plural subjects like nosotros or ellos, since it refers to agreements that are reached by multiple people.

Acordarse, on the other hand, is much more personal. It refers to the act of recollection, so the most common acordarse translation is to remember in Spanish. As a reflexive verb, it requires a reflexive pronoun to point back to whoever is doing the remembering. The other key point in its use is that we almost always follow its conjugation with de to introduce whatever the subject has a memory of.

Both acordar and acordarse are conjugated in the same way, with the key difference being that acordarse always needs to include the reflexive pronoun. These are stem-changing verbs with an o to ue change, following the pattern of recordar conjugation.

Conclusion: Acordar vs Acordarse

Mastering the use of acordar and acordarse in Spanish is an excellent way to improve your communication skills. Distinguishing the vital differences between these two verbs is key to ensuring that the intended meaning is understood.

Whether discussing agreements in a business meeting, remembering past events with friends, or even negotiating a deal, knowing when to use acordar and acordarse will enhance your ability to communicate with accuracy.

Exercises: Acordar vs Acordarse in Spanish

Why not end today’s lesson with a few exercises to see how well you’ve learned the differences between acordar vs acordarse? Choose the correct option between acordar and acordarse in each sentence. The answers are below.

1. Ellos acordaron / se acordaron visitar a sus tíos el próximo fin de semana. – They agreed to visit their uncles next weekend.

2. Nosotros siempre acordamos / nos acordamos de cerrar la puerta con llava antes de salir. – We always remember to lock the door before leaving.

3. Maria y Julia acordaron / se acordaron hacer la tarea juntas. – Maria and Julia agreed to do the homework together.

4. ¿Tú acuerdas / te acuerdas del nombre del nuevo gerente? – Do you remember the new manager’s name?

5. Después de una larga discusión, acordaron / se acordaron posponer el projecto. – After a long discussion, they agreed to postpone the project.

6. ¿Acuerdas / Te acuerdas de la fecha del examen final? – Do you remember the date of the final exam?

7. Los empleados acordaron / se acordaron colaborar en el desarrollo de la nueva marca. – The employees agreed to collaborate on the new brand’s development.

8. Cada vez que escucho esa canción, acuerdo / me acuerdo de nuestra primera cita. – Every time I listen to that song, I’m reminded of our first date.

9. Los profesores acordaron / se acordaron organizar una reunión en la biblioteca. – The teachers agreed to organize a meeting in the library.

10. Siempre acuerdo / me acuerdo de tomar mis medicinas por la mañana. – I always remember to take my medicine in the morning.

Answers

1. Ellos acordaron visitar a sus tíos el próximo fin de semana. – They agreed to visit their uncles next weekend.

2. Nosotros siempre nos acordamos de cerrar la puerta con llava antes de salir. – We always remember to lock the door before leaving.

3. Maria y Julia acordaron hacer la tarea juntas. – Maria and Julia agreed to do the homework together.

4. ¿Tú te acuerdas del nombre del nuevo gerente? – Do you remember the new manager’s name?

5. Después de una larga discusión, acordaron posponer el projecto. – After a long discussion, they agreed to postpone the project.

6. ¿Te acuerdas de la fecha del examen final? – Do you remember the date of the final exam?

7. Los empleados acordaron colaborar en el desarrollo de la nueva marca. – The employees agreed to collaborate on the new brand’s development.

8. Cada vez que escucho esa canción, me acuerdo de nuestra primera cita. – Every time I listen to that song, I’m reminded of our first date.

9. Los profesores acordaron organizar una reunión en la biblioteca. – The teachers agreed to organize a meeting in the library.

10. Siempre me acuerdo de tomar mis medicinas por la mañana. – I always remember to take my medicine in the morning.