How to Say "pretends" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “pretends” is “finge” — B1 level.
English → SpanishB1
verbB1
acting like something is true when it is not
Examples
Él finge que está dormido para no hablar.
He pretends to be asleep so he doesn't have to talk.
Ella finge una sonrisa aunque está triste.
She fakes a smile even though she is sad.
The Dual Identity of Finge
'Finge' is used in two ways: to say what someone else is doing right now (He pretends) or to tell a friend to act (Pretend!).
Spelling Swap
Even though 'finge' has a 'g', other forms like 'finjo' use a 'j' to keep the sound scratchy and consistent.
Pretender vs. Fingir
Mistake: “Using 'finge' when you mean 'plans to'.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'pretender' means 'to intend' or 'to try'. Use 'finge' only when someone is actually faking or acting.
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