verb
to notice, to remember, to note
A2
Merken commonly means 'to notice' or 'to realize' and, reflexively (sich etwas merken), 'to remember' or 'to commit to memory'. It’s a regular weak verb using haben, not separable. Reflexive use takes a dative object (Ich merke mir das). It can also mean 'to note' in contexts.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Die Lehrerin merkte, dass viele Schüler den Text nicht verstanden, deshalb erklärte sie ihn noch einmal.
The teacher noticed that many students did not understand the text, so she explained it again.
Ich merke mir die Telefonnummer.
I'll remember the phone number.
Ich merke mir das.
I'll remember that.
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VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Imagine sticking a bright sticky note that says 'REMEMBER' onto an object to help you remember it.
Sounds a bit like 'marker' — think of marking something in your mind.
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The verb can be used both non-reflexively and reflexively: non-reflexive 'merken' usually means 'to notice' or 'to realize' (e.g., 'Ich merke das jetzt' = 'I notice that now'), while reflexive 'sich etwas merken' means 'to remember' or 'to memorize' (takes a dative object: 'Ich merke mir das'). Don't confuse 'sich erinnern (an)' which also means 'to remember' but uses 'an' + accusative.