pretend
gb/pɹitˈɛnd/ us/pɹitˈɛnd/
A1
Englisch
~ 2900
Bedeutungen
0 Bedeutungen
Verb
A2
action
1
Act as if something is true
To act like something is real when it is not.
Verwendungsmuster:
to pretend [that] [something]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pretend' with 'intend'. 'Pretend' means to act as if something is true, while 'intend' means to plan to do something.
Synonyme
fake (Often stronger and can imply deliberate dishonesty, not just play-acting.)
|
feign (More formal; often used for pretending feelings or conditions.)
Antonyme
admit (To openly say the truth instead of acting like something else is true.)
Wortverbindungen
pretend to be
|pretend that
|pretend not to
|just pretend
|pretend for fun
Themen
daily life
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- She pretended to be asleep when her parents came in.
- He pretended that he knew the answer.
- They pretended not to hear the question.
- I pretended I was a superhero when I was a kid.
- Don't pretend you don't know what's going on.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I pretended to be a cat.
- He pretended he was sick.
- She pretended to read a book.
- We pretended we were on a boat.
Verb
A1
action
2
Play imaginary games
To play a game where you imagine you are someone or something else.
Verwendungsmuster:
to pretend to be [someone/something]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes use 'pretend' in this sense in serious contexts where it sounds childish or playful unintentionally.
Synonyme
make-believe (Often used for children's imaginative play.)
Antonyme
be serious (To act in a way that is real and not playful or imagined.)
Wortverbindungen
pretend play
|pretend game
|pretend to be a princess
|pretend adventure
Themen
daily life
|children
|games
|daily_life
|arts_entertainment
Beispiele
- The children pretended to be pirates on a ship.
- Let’s pretend we’re exploring space.
- She pretended to be a famous singer during the party.
Beispiele für Lernende
- We pretended to be animals.
- He pretended to be a king.
- She pretended to fly like a bird.
Verb
formal
C1
action
3
Claim without proof or right
To say you have something, like a right, when you do not really have it.
Verwendungsmuster:
to pretend to [something]
Synonyme
profess (Formal; can imply claiming something as true or genuine.)
Antonyme
disclaim (To deny having any right or connection.)
Wortverbindungen
pretend to authority
|pretend to knowledge
Themen
law
|argument
|communication
Beispiele
- He pretends to great knowledge of art, but he knows very little.
- Several groups pretended to the throne during the crisis.
- She pretends to authority she does not have.
Beispiele für Lernende
- He pretends to know everything about history.
- They pretend to have power they do not have.
Grammatik
Grundform
pretend
IPA
GB/pɹitˈɛnd/
US/pɹitˈɛnd/
Silben & Betonung
pre - tend (2 Silben)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tend)
Wortformen
Verb
- Base: pretend
- 3rd Person Singular: pretends
- Present Participle: pretending
- Past: pretended
Wortfamilie
Forms
pretends
verb
pretending
verb
pretended
verb
Core family
pretense
noun
Related words
pretender
noun
pretentious
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unpretentious
adjective
Advanced or less common
pretension
noun
pretentiously
adverb
Ausdrücke
let's pretend
1/lˈɛts pɹitˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
Invite someone to imagine together
Used when you ask someone to imagine something with you for fun or an example.
Beispiele
- Let's pretend we're on a treasure hunt.
- Let's pretend we live on the moon.
only pretending
1/ˈoʊnli pɹitˈɛndɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Not serious, just acting
When someone is acting but not really meaning it.
Beispiele
- Don't worry, she was only pretending to be angry.
- He said he was hurt, but he was only pretending.
pretend play
1/pɹitˈɛnd plˈeɪ/
fixed phrase
Imaginative play by acting roles
A game where children act like they are other people or things.
Beispiele
- Pretend play helps children develop social skills.
- The kids were engaged in pretend play as doctors and patients.