adjective/verb (past tense and past participle)
fingido, falso, simulado (adjective); fingiu, simulou, pretendeu (verb)
1. (adjective) False, fake, or not genuine; claimed to be real but actually invented or artificial
She wore a pretended smile to hide her sadness.
Ela usava um sorriso fingido para esconder sua tristeza.
2. (verb, past tense) To behave in a way that is intended to deceive; to act as though something is true when it is not
He pretended to be sick so he wouldn't have to go to work.
Ele fingiu estar doente para não ter que ir ao trabalho.
3. (verb, past tense) To claim or assert something falsely
She pretended ignorance about the accident.
Ela fingiu ignorância sobre o acidente.
In Brazilian culture, 'fingir' (to pretend) is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially among children playing imaginative games ('brincar de faz de conta'). In American culture, 'pretend' is often associated with childhood imagination, but 'pretended' in adult contexts typically implies deception. Both cultures use the word to describe insincere behavior, though the connotation may vary from innocent play to deliberate falsehood depending on context.
NYC Slang
fake, fronting, playing possum
Related Idioms & Phrases
pretend to the throne - fingir ter direito ao trono
pretend ignorance - fingir ignorância
let's pretend - vamos fingir
pretend everything is fine - fingir que tudo está bem
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →