fingir
“fingir” means “to pretend” in Spanish (to fake an action or emotion).
to pretend
Also: to feign, to simulate
📝 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.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fingir
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'fingir' is correct for 'I pretend'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *fingere*, which originally meant 'to touch, to shape, or to fashion.' Over time, this idea of 'shaping' something evolved into 'inventing' or 'making up,' leading to the modern meaning of 'pretending' or 'faking.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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.