German Phrase
Hab vergessen, Eier zu kaufen.
Meaning
Literally, “I forgot to buy eggs.” The speaker had the intention to purchase eggs but failed to remember it. It’s a casual way to explain a small oversight, often used in everyday conversation.
When to use
Use this sentence when you realize you didn’t buy eggs after planning to, especially in informal settings with friends, family, or coworkers. It works well when you want to acknowledge the mistake without sounding overly formal.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Habvergessen,Eierzukaufen.
Auxiliary "haben" in perfect
"Hab" is the colloquial short form of "ich habe", the auxiliary verb used to form the perfect tense of "vergessen".
"vergessen" + infinitive with "zu"
When "vergessen" is followed by another action, the infinitive is introduced by "zu" (e.g., "zu kaufen").
Plural noun "Eier"
"Eier" is the plural of "Ei" and stays unchanged in the accusative after "vergessen".
Comma before infinitive clause
German orthography requires a comma before an infinitive clause introduced by "zu".
🗨In Conversation
Hab vergessen, Eier zu kaufen.
I forgot to buy eggs.
Kein Problem, ich hol sie später.
No problem, I’ll get them later.
✕Common Mistakes
Hab vergessen Eier zu kaufen.
Missing comma after "vergessen"; German orthography requires a comma before the infinitive clause.
Hab vergessen zu Eier kaufen.
"zu" must directly precede the infinitive verb, not the noun.
Hab vergessen, Eier kaufen.
The infinitive needs "zu" when it follows "vergessen".
Hab vergessen, Eier zu kaufen.
In formal writing you should use the full form "Ich habe" instead of the colloquial "Hab".
↔Alternatives
Ich habe vergessen, Eier zu kaufen.
I forgot to buy eggs.
Ich habe die Eier vergessen zu kaufen.
I forgot to buy the eggs.
Ich habe vergessen, Eier zu besorgen.
I forgot to get eggs.
Cultural Tip
In German, the perfect tense with "haben" is the default for most verbs, including "vergessen". The short form "hab" is common in spoken language but should be avoided in formal writing. Also, always place a comma before the infinitive clause ("zu kaufen"); omitting it is a frequent mistake for learners.