pretendía
“pretendía” means “intended” in Spanish (describing a past plan or aim).
intended
Also: was trying to, claimed
📝 In Action
Yo no pretendía ofenderte con mi comentario.
B1I didn't intend to offend you with my comment.
Ella pretendía que todo estaba bien, pero estaba triste.
B2She was claiming that everything was fine, but she was sad.
El candidato pretendía ganar el voto de los jóvenes.
B2The candidate was aiming to win the youth vote.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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Words that translate to "pretendía" in Spanish:
claimed→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pretendía
Question 1 of 2
If someone says 'Yo pretendía ir al cine', what are they saying?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'praetendere', which literally meant 'to stretch out in front' (like a shield or an excuse).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'pretendía' ever mean 'to pretend' in a game?
Almost never. In Spanish, 'pretender' is much more serious. It's about your goals or the things you claim to be true. For games or acting, use 'fingir' or 'imaginar'.
How do I know if 'pretendía' means 'I' or 'He'?
Context is key! If there's no 'Yo' or 'Él' in the sentence, look at the previous sentence to see who the topic is.