'forget' vs 'forget about'

[nessie]

Hi,
What's the difference between 'forget' and 'forget about'?

Many thanks
Nessie
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[Jamie (K)]

She forgot her purse. = She forgot to bring her purse with her.

She forgot about her purse. = She forgot that her purse existed or was there.

[Molly]

??

Let's forget the past and move on. OK?
Let's forget about the past and move on. OK?

A:Thanks for your help.
B: Forget it, it was nothing/Forget about it, it was nothing.

[Haihao]

Just my two cents:

Let's forget the past and move on. OK? = Let's forget what happened in the past and move on. OK? (direct)

Let's forget about the past and move on. OK? = Let's forget what is on your mind about the past and move on. OK? (indirect)

[Jamie (K)]

[nessie]

Molly's examples state exactly what I want to ask. May I have a clearer clarification, please?

[Alan]

Hi Nessie,

'Forget' on its own simply means 'not remember'. I forgot my password - Have you forgotten your password? When you add 'about', you are talking more generally to suggest 'dismiss/remove from your memory. A conversation:

A I have forgotten my password.
B Don't you remember that you put all your passwords on a sheet of paper?
A Yes, you're right. I'd forgotten about that.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Haihao]

Alan's explanation convinced me thoroughly.

[nessie]

Same here

[omelette]

Not really same here though:

How about this:
A: Let's go to the zoo!
B: How about the homework?
A: Forget it/ Forget about it. Tomorrow is sunday, isn't it?

=> According to Alan's explaination, "forget about it" should be chosen here, but I've heard the version "forget it" used many times.

Regards
O.

[Haihao]

You could make your answer both ways but they are still different. Here, 'forget it', as Alan indicated, suggests 'don't remind me of that' = don't remember it as to carry it to me while 'forget about it' = no need to keep that in your memory = remove that from your memory.

[MrPedantic]

I would look at it slightly differently from Molly and Alan:

1. To forget X.
2. To forget about X.

The preposition "about" can mean "concerning", "relating to", "with regard to", etc.

Thus #1 means "to forget X itself"; whereas #2 means "to forget that which relates to X".

Cf.

3. To forget all about X.

i.e. "to forget everything that relates to X".

If I say "I forgot my passport", for example, I mean "I forgot the passport itself". But if I say "I forgot about my passport", I mean "I forgot something that relates to my passport", e.g.

A: "Why don't we go to Singapore next weekend."
B: "That's a good idea. But I thought your passport had expired..."
C: "Damn. I'd forgotten about my passport."

(In some contexts, of course, both are possible.)

MrP

[Haihao]

How about,

1. "forgot the passport" = "forgot the passport itself"
2. "forgot about the passport" = "forgot the passport thing"

[Molly]

[Alan]

Hi,