The French verb rappeler is a versatile verb with several meanings, depending on whether it is used in its regular (non-reflexive) form or its reflexive form se rappeler. While both forms relate to memory and reminding, they are used in different grammatical structures and carry different meanings.

The Non-Reflexive Verb “Rappeler”

In its non-reflexive form, rappeler generally means “to call back” or “to remind” someone of something.

It is a regular verb, but it follows the spelling changes of verbs like appeler, where the final consonant l is doubled in some forms.

1. To call back (usually on the phone)

• Je te rappelle dans cinq minutes.
  I’ll call you back in five minutes.
• Elle a oublié de rappeler son ami.
  She forgot to call her friend back.
• Tu peux me rappeler ce soir ?
  Can you call me back tonight?

2. To remind someone of something

• Ce film me rappelle mon enfance.
  This film reminds me of my childhood.
• Rappelle-lui le rendez-vous.
  Remind him of the appointment.
• Ce parfum me rappelle ma grand-mère.
  This perfume reminds me of my grandmother.

In these examples, rappeler is used transitively and takes a direct object, either a noun or a pronoun.

The Reflexive Form “Se Rappeler”

In its reflexive form, se rappeler means “to remember.” This is different from “to remind” in English. The structure also differs from English:

• Je me rappelle son nom.
  I remember his name.
• Tu te rappelles cette chanson ?
  Do you remember this song?
• Nous nous rappelons notre voyage à Paris.
  We remember our trip to Paris.
• Elle s’est rappelé la date de l’examen.
  She remembered the date of the exam.

Note: In compound tenses (like the passé composé), se rappeler is conjugated with être, but it still takes a direct object, so the past participle does not agree:

• Elle s’est rappelé la date, not rappelée.

When Is “de” Used with “Se Rappeler”?

Although se rappeler is normally followed directly by a noun (without de), there are two important exceptions where de is required.

1. When the object is a personal pronoun

When what is remembered is expressed with a pronoun, French requires de before the pronoun:

• Tu te rappelles de lui ?
  Do you remember him?
• Je me rappelle d’elle.
  I remember her.
• Nous nous rappelons d’eux.
  We remember them.

This rule applies only when the object is not expressed as a noun but as a standalone pronoun (lui, elle, eux, etc.).

Compare:

• Je me rappelle ce garçon. (correct)
  I remember that boy.
• Je me rappelle de lui. (also correct)
  I remember him.

2. When followed by an infinitive verb

• Je me rappelle de t’avoir vu ici.
  I remember seeing you here.
• Elle se rappelle de l’avoir rencontré à Lyon.
  She remembers meeting him in Lyon.

This structure – se rappeler de + infinitive passé – is common in both spoken and written French. It differs from the standard noun construction, where de is omitted.

In contrast:

• Je me rappelle cette personne. (correct)
• Je me rappelle de cette personne. (incorrect)

“Se Rappeler” vs “Se Souvenir”

Both se rappeler and se souvenir mean “to remember,” but their grammatical structures differ:

• Se rappeler normally takes a direct object
• Se souvenir always takes de

Examples:

• Je me rappelle ce jour-là.
  I remember that day.
• Je me souviens de ce jour-là.
  I remember that day.
• Tu te rappelles de lui ?
  Do you remember him?
• Tu te souviens de lui ?
  Do you remember him?

In many cases, both verbs can be used, but the preposition rules differ.

Summary of Key Differences

Form	Meaning	Structure	Example
rappeler (non-reflexive)	to remind / call back	rappeler + object	Je te rappelle. / Je rappelle mon frère.
se rappeler + noun	to remember	se rappeler + direct object	Je me rappelle cette phrase.
se rappeler + pronoun	to remember	se rappeler de + pronoun	Je me rappelle d’elle.
se rappeler + verb	to remember doing sth	se rappeler de + infinitive	Je me rappelle de l’avoir vu.
se souvenir	to remember	se souvenir de + noun/pronoun/verb	Je me souviens de lui / de ce jour.