a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device and method for driving the same includes data reading and writing operations performed uniformly in a whole cell array and reduces the size of a cell by lowering a sensing voltage . the nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device includes a main cell and a reference cell provided with one transistor and one or more ferroelectric capacitors among a first voltage applying line , a bitline and a second voltage applying line . the method includes the steps of primarily activating the wordline and a reference wordline at high level in an active period of one cycle , inactivating the wordline and the reference wordline , activating a sensing amplifier after the wordline is inactivated , secondarily or thirdly activating the wordline at high level in a state that the sensing amplifier is activated in the active period , applying a high level at least once or more to the second voltage applying line to be coincident with the secondary or third active period of the wordline in at least one point , and transiting a chip enable signal from low level to high level to precharge the chip enable signal .