-ㄴ/는 척하다

Pretend to

Level 4Sounds Like neun cheokhada

-ㄴ/는 척하다 means 'to pretend to'. It's attached to a verb or adjective to show that someone is faking an action or a feeling, like 'pretending to sleep' (자는 척하다) or 'pretending to be okay' (괜찮은 척하다).

How It Works

-ㄴ/는 척하다 is a versatile pattern used to express that someone is acting as if something is true when it is not. The word 척 is a bound noun meaning 'pretense' or 'act', and 하다 means 'to do'. The tense of the entire sentence is determined by the conjugation of 하다.

Conjugation Rules:

  • Action Verbs (Present Tense): Verb stem + -는 척하다
    Example: 알다 (to know) → 아는 척하다 (to pretend to know)
  • Action Verbs (Past Tense): Verb stem + -(으)ㄴ 척하다
    Example: 먹다 (to eat) → 먹은 척하다 (to pretend to have eaten)
    Example: 보다 (to see) → 본 척하다 (to pretend to have seen)
  • Adjectives: Adjective stem + -(으)ㄴ 척하다
    Example: 바쁘다 (to be busy) → 바쁜 척하다 (to pretend to be busy)
    Example: 괜찮다 (to be okay) → 괜찮은 척하다 (to pretend to be okay)
  • Nouns: Noun + -인 척하다
    Example: 학생 (student) → 학생인 척하다 (to pretend to be a student)

Tense Conjugation:
The main tense is applied to 하다.

  • Present: 자는 척해요 (He pretends to sleep)
  • Past: 자는 척했어요 (He pretended to sleep)
  • Future: 자는 척할 거예요 (He will pretend to sleep)

Synonym:
The pattern -ㄴ/는 체하다 can be used interchangeably with -ㄴ/는 척하다, but 척하다 is more common in everyday conversation.

Examples (5)

  1. 아이가 자는 척하고 있어요.

    The child is pretending to be asleep.

    Word by Word: Child sleeping pretend is doing.

  2. 그는 바쁜 척했지만 사실은 시간이 많았어요.

    He pretended to be busy, but he actually had a lot of time.

    Word by Word: He busy pretend-but actually time much had.

  3. 제 말을 못 들은 척하지 마세요.

    Please don't pretend you didn't hear me.

    Word by Word: My words not heard pretend don't do.

  4. 그녀는 아무것도 모르는 척 질문했어요.

    She asked a question, pretending not to know anything.

    Word by Word: She anything not knowing pretend asked.

  5. 그는 한국 사람인 척했지만 발음이 이상했어요.

    He pretended to be Korean, but his pronunciation was strange.

    Word by Word: He Korean person being pretend-but pronunciation strange was.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the present tense modifier -는 when pretending to have done something in the past.

    Different Meaning어제 숙제를 하는 척했어요.
    Better어제 숙제를 한 척했어요.

    When the act of pretense is about something that has already been completed, you must use the past tense modifier -(으)ㄴ. 하는 척했어요 means 'I pretended to be doing homework (at that moment yesterday)', while 한 척했어요 means 'I pretended to have (already) done my homework'.

  • Using -ㄴ/는 척하다 for a genuine guess or observation, where -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다 should be used.

    Different Meaning저 사람은 학생인 척해요.
    Better저 사람은 학생인 것 같아요.

    -ㄴ/는 척하다 implies a deliberate, conscious act of deception. Use -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다 when you are making a guess or stating an impression about something that appears to be true. The incorrect example implies you know for a fact they are not a student and are faking it.

Learn This First

To express 'pretend to', you need modifier forms and 하다.

Related Patterns

Words in This Pattern

-ㄴ 척하다-는 척하다척하다
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