Acordarse vs. recordar
In Spanish, both 'acordarse' and 'recordar' relate to the cognitive process of retrieval of information or experiences from one's memory. However, subtle differences in their usage context and construction exist.
Acordarse
'Acordarse' is a reflexive verb that means 'to remember', emphasizing the act of coming to mind spontaneously or when making an effort to recall something.
Me acordé de tu cumpleaños a última hora.
(I remembered your birthday at the last minute.)
¿Te acuerdas del nombre de aquel restaurante?
(Do you remember the name of that restaurant?)
No me acordaba de dónde había dejado las llaves.
(I couldn't remember where I had left the keys.)
Recordar
'Recordar' is a verb that also means 'to remember', but often implies recalling a specific fact, event, or piece of information and can be used directly with the object being remembered without the reflexive pronoun.
Recuerdo tu número de teléfono sin mirarlo.
(I remember your phone number without looking at it.)
Recordamos la canción que sonaba en nuestra primera cita.
(We remember the song that was playing on our first date.)
El profesor nos recordó la fecha del examen.
(The teacher reminded us of the exam date.)
Summary
'Acordarse' often involves someone actively trying to bring something back into mind or realizing they remember something, while 'recordar' can indicate a more general action of recollection, not necessarily requiring an active effort. Additionally, 'recordar' does not need to be constructed reflexively and can be used when one person is causing another to remember something.