How to Say "to pretend" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to pretend” is “fingir” — use this when you want to express faking an action, emotion, or a state of being, often to deceive someone.
fingir
feen-HEERfinˈxiɾ
Examples
Ella fingió no escuchar el despertador.
She pretended not to hear the alarm clock.
No tienes que fingir felicidad si estás triste.
You don't have to fake happiness if you are sad.
El niño finge ser un piloto de carreras con su juguete.
The boy pretends to be a race car driver with his toy.
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.
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.
aparentar
ah-pah-rehn-tarapaɾenˈtaɾ
Examples
Ella aparenta menos edad de la que tiene.
She looks younger than she actually is.
No tienes que aparentar que estás feliz si no lo estás.
You don't have to pretend that you're happy if you're not.
Mucha gente gasta dinero que no tiene solo por aparentar.
Many people spend money they don't have just to show off.
Using it for age
When you want to say someone looks a certain age, follow the verb directly with the number: 'Ella aparenta treinta años'.
Aparentar vs. Parecer
Use 'aparentar' when someone is actively showing an image (sometimes a false one) and 'parecer' for general impressions.
Age with 'to look'
Mistake: “Ella mira joven.”
Correction: Ella aparenta ser joven o Ella parece joven. 'Mirar' is for the act of looking at something, not your appearance.
simular
see-moo-LAHRsimuˈlaɾ
Examples
Ella intentó simular sorpresa, pero ya sabía el secreto.
She tried to pretend to be surprised, but she already knew the secret.
El jugador cayó al suelo para simular una falta.
The player fell to the ground to fake a foul.
No tienes que simular que te gusta la comida si no es así.
You don't have to pretend that you like the food if you don't.
Direct Connections
Unlike the English 'pretend to,' the word 'simular' is often followed directly by an infinitive (verb form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir) without needing a connector like 'a'.
Pretending something is happening
If you want to say someone is pretending 'that' something is happening, use 'simular que' followed by a normal sentence.
Using 'pretender' instead
Mistake: “Pretendo estar enfermo.”
Correction: Simulo estar enfermo. In Spanish, 'pretender' means 'to aim for' or 'to intend,' not to fake something.
disimular
dee-see-moo-LAHRdisimuˈlaɾ
Examples
¡Disimula! Ahí viene tu ex novio.
Play it cool! There comes your ex-boyfriend.
Vio el accidente pero disimuló y siguió caminando.
He saw the accident but pretended not to notice and kept walking.
No sabe disimular; se le nota en la cara cuando miente.
He doesn't know how to play it cool; you can see it on his face when he lies.
Using 'disimular' without an object
When you use 'disimular' on its own, it means you are trying to act natural or indifferent so people don't suspect something.
Pretender vs. Disimular
Mistake: “Using 'pretender' to mean 'act like you don't know'.”
Correction: In Spanish, 'pretender' usually means 'to aim for' or 'to try'. Use 'disimular' when you are acting indifferent or hiding a reaction.
hacerse
ah-SEHR-sehaˈθeɾse
Examples
Cuando pregunté por la cena, él se hizo el tonto.
When I asked about dinner, he pretended to be clueless (the fool).
Para evitar el trabajo, se hizo el enfermo.
To avoid work, he pretended to be sick.
No te hagas el héroe, es peligroso.
Don't try to be the hero; it's dangerous.
Hacerse + Definite Article
In this meaning, 'hacerse' is almost always followed by the definite article (el, la, los, las) before the noun or adjective describing the pretended state (e.g., 'se hizo el ciego').
Intentional Action
This sense implies a conscious decision to behave a certain way to trick others or avoid something.
Omitting the Article
Mistake: “Se hizo tonto.”
Correction: Se hizo el tonto. (Including 'el' makes it clear you are acting out the role of a fool.)
Fingir vs. Simular vs. Aparentar
Related Translations
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