How to Say "to simulate" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “to simulate” is “fingir” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
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.
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.