pretendes
pre-TEN-des
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¿Qué pretendes lograr con este cambio?
B1What do you intend to achieve with this change?
No pretendes que termine todo esto hoy, ¿verdad?
B1You don't expect me to finish all of this today, do you?
Si pretendes salir temprano, debes terminar tu tarea.
A2If you are trying to leave early, you must finish your homework.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Pretendes' with other verbs
When you use 'pretendes' to say what you're trying to do, just put the second verb in its original form (the infinitive), like 'pretendes salir'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
The 'Pretend' Trap
Mistake: "Using 'pretendes' to mean 'you are faking/pretending'."
Correction: Use 'aparentas' or 'finges' for faking. 'Pretendes' actually means you are aiming for or intending something.
⭐ Usage Tips
Softening a question
Using '¿Qué pretendes?' can sound a bit confrontational, like 'What are you playing at?'. Use it carefully!
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: pretendes
Question 1 of 1
If someone asks you '¿Qué pretendes?', what are they asking?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'pretendes' ever mean 'you pretend' (to lie)?
Rarely. In modern Spanish, 'pretendes' almost always means 'you intend' or 'you expect'. To say someone is faking or pretending to be someone else, use the verb 'fingir'.