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Italian Phrase

Ho dimenticato di comprare le uova.

/o diˌmenˈtiːkaːto di komˈpraːre le ˈwɔːva/
Meaning"I forgot to buy the eggs."
💡

Meaning

The speaker is saying that they forgot to buy the eggs. It is a common way to explain a missed grocery task after the fact.

🎯

When to use

Use this sentence when you realize you have not bought something you intended to, especially in everyday situations like grocery shopping or preparing a meal.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Hodimenticatodicomprareleuova

1

Ho (avere)

Auxiliary verb 'avere' in present indicative, used to form the passato prossimo.

2

dimenticato (past participle)

Past participle of 'dimenticare'. With 'avere' it stays in the masculine singular form unless a preceding direct object forces agreement.

3

di + infinitive

The preposition 'di' introduces an infinitive after verbs like 'dimenticare', 'ricordare', 'avere paura di', etc.

4

comprare (infinitive)

Infinitive verb meaning 'to buy'.

5

le (definite article)

Feminine plural definite article, used before plural nouns that are known to the listener.

6

uova (noun)

Plural of 'uovo', a feminine noun meaning 'egg'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Hai comprato le uova?

Did you buy the eggs?

No, ho dimenticato di comprare le uova.

No, I forgot to buy the eggs.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ho dimenticata di comprare le uova.

    With the auxiliary 'ho' the past participle stays masculine singular; agreement only occurs when a direct object precedes the verb.

  • Ho dimenticato a comprare le uova.

    The correct preposition after 'dimenticare' is 'di', not 'a'.

  • Ho dimenticato di comprare le ovo.

    The plural of 'uovo' is 'uova', and the article must agree in gender and number.

↔Alternatives

  • Mi è sfuggito di comprare le uova.

    I missed buying the eggs.

  • Non ho comprato le uova, me ne sono dimenticato.

    I didn't buy the eggs, I forgot about them.

  • Ho scordato di comprare le uova.

    I forgot to buy the eggs.

it

Cultural Tip

Eggs are a staple in Italian cooking, from pasta alla carbonara to frittatas. Forgetting them can disrupt a recipe, so Italians often keep a mental checklist when shopping. The phrase is informal and works well with friends or family; in a professional setting you might say 'Mi sono dimenticato di acquistare le uova' for a slightly more formal tone.