fingir
feen-HEER
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Ella fingió no escuchar el despertador.
A2She pretended not to hear the alarm clock.
No tienes que fingir felicidad si estás triste.
B1You don't have to fake happiness if you are sad.
El niño finge ser un piloto de carreras con su juguete.
A2The boy pretends to be a race car driver with his toy.
💡 Grammar Points
The G-to-J Switch
In the 'yo' form of the present tense (and all present subjunctive forms), the 'g' changes to a 'j' (finjo, finja). This happens so the sound stays strong, like the 'h' in 'house'.
Using 'Fingir Que'
When you use 'fingir que...' (to pretend that...), the verb that follows usually stays in the normal indicative form, unless you are expressing doubt or impossibility about the pretense itself.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the J
Mistake: "Yo fingo (Incorrect)"
Correction: Yo finjo (Correct). Remember that the 'g' needs to become a 'j' when followed by 'o' or 'a' to maintain the hard sound.
⭐ Usage Tips
Pretend vs. Imagine
Use 'fingir' when someone is faking something for real-world effect (e.g., faking sickness). Use 'imaginar' or 'soñar' when talking about mental creation or daydreaming.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: fingir
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'fingir' is correct for 'I pretend'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'fingir' have the 'g' to 'j' change in its conjugation?
This is a common rule in Spanish for verbs ending in -gir or -ger. The 'g' sounds soft (like the 'h' in English) when followed by 'e' or 'i'. When it comes before 'a' or 'o' (like in 'yo finjo' or 'que él finja'), it needs to change to a 'j' to keep that same strong, scratchy sound.