Memo to Memento: What’s the Keepsake?

Memo vs. Memento

Memo and memento are two words that sound a bit alike but mean different things. Let’s look at what they mean, where they come from, and how to use them.

History

The word memo comes from the word memorandum, which means something written to remember something. The word memento comes from Latin and means to remember or a keepsake.

How to Use

Memo is short for memorandum. It is a note or message. People usually use memos at work or school to remember important things.

Memento is an object or thing that helps you remember something or someone special. It is like a small souvenir.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Think of memo as a note or list you make to remind yourself, and memento as an object you keep to remember someone or someplace.

Example Sentences for “Memo”

• I wrote a memo to tell the team about the meeting.
• The teacher gave us a memo about homework rules.
• Memos are useful to remember daily tasks.
• He read the memo from his boss carefully.
• Can you send a memo to remind them about the deadline?

Example Sentences for “Memento”

• I kept the seashell as a memento of our trip to the beach.
• She gave me a bracelet as a memento of our friendship.
• The signed baseball is a memento from his favorite game.
• They kept the ticket stub as a memento of their first concert.
• A memento can be any small thing that holds special memories.

Summary

Memo is a written note to remind you about things to do, often used in work or school settings. Memento is a keepsake or object you keep to remember special times and people.