How to use remember vs remind

Muddling up ‘remember’ and ‘remind’ is another common confusion.

We use remember when we bring to mind something on our own and to express recollections of past events.

Now I remember the new doctor’s name.
I remember when I got sick last year I had to take antibiotics.

Note the difference in meaning between remember + verb-ing and remember + to do:

I remember feeling awful after taking those strong antibiotics.
I remember having a sharp pain in my chest before passing out.
= I have a memory of a past event.

I have to remember to take my medicine before eating lunch.
= I must think to take my medicine.

I remembered to take my medicine before eating lunch.
= I know that I took it.

And we can also tell someone not to forget to do something:

Please remember to take your medicine at the same time each day.
Are you remembering to take your medicine at the same time each day?

We use remind to jog someone else’s memory:

I’m ringing to remind you about your next appointment.
He reminded me to take my medicine.

There’s also the phrasal verb remind of to mean someone or something makes you think of someone or something else:

She reminds me of my very first patient.
This pain reminds me of the last time I was sick.

To remind you about the difference, remember to make up your own model sentences.

And for other common confusions, see here, here, here, here and here.

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