想起來 xiǎngqǐlái想起来 xiǎngqǐlái means “to recall”: something you’d forgotten suddenly comes back to you, often after some effort. Its negative form, 想不起來 xiǎng bù qǐlái想不起来 xiǎng bù qǐlái, means you can’t recall it, no matter how hard you try.
一 Recalling: 想起來想起来
Subject + 想起來想起来 + Object + 了
Use 想起來 xiǎngqǐlái想起来 xiǎngqǐlái when a memory comes back. It’s usually followed by 了 le at the end, because the situation has changed: before you couldn’t remember, now you can.
我想起來想起来你的名字了
Oh, I remember your name now.
我想起來想起来他是誰谁了！
Now I remember who he is!
你想起來想起来他住在哪裡哪里了嗎吗？
Have you remembered where he lives?
你想起來想起来他剛剛刚刚說说了什麼什么嗎吗？
Do you remember what he just said?
二 Can’t Recall: 想不起來想不起来
Subject + 想不起來想不起来 + Object
Put 不 bù in the middle to say you can’t recall something. To ask whether someone can recall it, put 得 de in the middle: 想得起來嗎？ xiǎng de qǐlái ma想得起来吗？ xiǎng de qǐlái ma
他想不起來想不起来昨天吃了什麼什么
He can’t remember what he ate yesterday.
我想不起來想不起来他的電話电话號碼号码
I can’t remember his phone number.
你想得起來起来他的名字嗎吗？
Can you remember his name?
A：你昨天說说你夢到梦到了一件很奇怪的事情事情，現在现在還还記得记得嗎吗？
A: Yesterday you said you had a really strange dream. Do you still remember it?
B：不行，我現在现在想不起來想不起来了！
B: Nope! I can’t remember it anymore!
三想起來想起来 vs. 記得记得
記得 jìdé记得 jìde means you still have something in your memory. 想起來 xiǎngqǐlái想起来 xiǎngqǐlái is the moment a forgotten memory comes back.
記得记得 · still in your memory
我記得记得他的名字
I remember his name. (I never forgot it.)
想起來想起来 · it comes back to you
我想起來想起来他的名字了
Oh, now I remember his name! (I’d forgotten it.)
想起來想起来 vs. 想起When the object is a single thing (not a whole clause), you’ll also hear 想起 xiǎngqǐ without 來来: 我突然想起一件事 “I suddenly thought of something.”
四 Common Mistakes
❌ 我不想起來想起来他的名字
✅ 我想不起來想不起来他的名字
不 bù goes in the middle: 想不起來 xiǎng bù qǐlái想不起来 xiǎng bù qǐlái. Careful! 我不想起來 wǒ bù xiǎng qǐlái我不想起来 wǒ bù xiǎng qǐlái actually means “I don’t want to get up.” 😴
❌ 我想起來想起来了他的名字
✅ 我想起來想起来他的名字了
Put 了 le at the end of the sentence.
❌ 我想起來想起来你是我的好朋友朋友
✅ 我記得记得你是我的好朋友朋友
If you never forgot it, use 記得 jìdé记得 jìde. 想起來 xiǎngqǐlái想起来 xiǎngqǐlái implies you’d forgotten your good friend, which is awkward!
五 Practice
Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!
Question 1 of 10
“Oh, I remember your name now!”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我想起來想起来你的名字了！
It just came back to you → 想起來 xiǎngqǐlái想起来 xiǎngqǐlái.
“I can’t remember his phone number.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我想不起來想不起来他的電話电话號碼号码
他的電話电话號碼号码我想不起來想不起来 is also correct.
不 bù goes in the middle.
“Have you remembered where he lives?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你想起來想起来他住在哪裡哪里了嗎吗？
了 then 嗎 at the end.
“He can’t remember what he ate yesterday.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
他想不起來想不起来昨天吃了什麼什么
想不起來 xiǎng bù qǐlái想不起来 xiǎng bù qǐlái, not 不想起來不想起来.
“Now I remember who he is!”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我想起來想起来他是誰谁了！
A whole clause can be the object.
“I still remember his name. (I never forgot it.)”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我還还記得记得他的名字
Never forgotten → 記得 jìdé记得 jìde.
“Can you remember?”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
你想得起來起来嗎吗？
Can you…? → 得 de in the middle.
“I suddenly remembered I didn’t lock the door.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我突然想起來想起来我沒没鎖锁門门
Oh no! 🔑
“I can’t remember it anymore.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
❌ Try Again
我現在现在想不起來想不起来了
現在现在我想不起來想不起来了 is also correct.
了 shows the change: you could remember before, but not now.
