English–French

“pretend” in French

French

Alsosimuler

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛ̃dʁ/

Example

Il feint la douleur pour attirer l'attention.

He pretends to be in pain to attract attention.

Illustration for feindre (pretend)

How to say “pretend” in French

“Pretend” in French is feindre.

A person displays a convincing but unreal state, such as pain, to make others accept it as genuine.

Full entry for feindre: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with feindre

Il feint la surprise en découvrant le cadeau.

He pretends to be surprised when he discovers the gift.

Tips for using feindre

  • Feindre is more formal and more common in writing than the everyday expression faire semblant de.

Other French words for “pretend”

Il simule une maladie.

He is pretending to be ill.

“pretend” in other languages