Hi, my name is Manuel! I am from Spain and I am a Student Advisor at LTL. Fancy coming to study with us? Drop me a message.
Hi, my name is Mojca! I am from Slovenia in Europe and I work as a student advisor at our Shanghai school.
HOW TO USE -는 척하다
Understanding how to express pretending in Korean is essential for describing actions that are not genuine.
In this lesson, we will explore the grammar structure ‘-는 척하다’, which is used to indicate “pretending to do something” or “acting like something is true”.
WHAT IS -는 척하다
The grammar structure ‘-는 척하다’ is used when you want to describe someone pretending to do an action or acting as if something is true, even though it is not.
In English, it translates to:
- “To pretend to (do something)”
- “To act like (something is happening)”
PATTERNS
Action verbs: Verb stem + -는 척하다
Descriptive verbs (adjectives): Verb stem + -(으)는 척하다
Past tense: Verb stem + -(은)ㄴ 척하다
NOTE || This grammar only describes the appearance of an action, not the actual performance.
| Grammar Structure | Verb Type | With Batchim | Without Batchim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Verbs (Present Tense) | Verb stem + -는 척하다 | 읽다 → 읽는 척하다 pretend to read | 이해하다 → 이해하는 척하다 pretend to understand |
| 찾다 → 찾는 척하다 pretend to search | 무시하다 → 무시하는 척하다 (pretend to ignore | ||
| Descriptive Verbs (Present Tense) | Verb stem + -(으)는 척하다 | 복잡하다 → 복잡한 척하다 pretend to be complicated | 유창하다 → 유창한 척하다 pretend to be fluent |
| 똑똑하다 → 똑똑한 척하다 pretend to be smart | 친절하다 → 친절한 척하다 pretend to be kind | ||
| Past Tense (All Verbs) | Verb stem + -(은)ㄴ 척하다 | 늦다 → 늦은 척하다 pretend to be late | 잊다 → 잊은 척하다 pretend to have forgotten |
| 배웠다 → 배운 척하다 pretend to have learned | 도착하다 → 도착한 척하다 pretend to have arrived |
WITH DESCRIPTIVE VERBS
When describing someone who pretends to be in a certain state (e.g., pretending to be sick, tired, happy), we use this structure with descriptive verbs (adjectives).
PATTERN
Descriptive verb stem + -(으)는 척하다
If the adjective ends in a vowel, attach -는 척하다. If it ends in a consonant, use -(으)는 척하다.
| 그는 부자인 척했어요. | He pretended to be rich. |
| 저는 자신 있는 척했어요. | I pretended to be confident. |
| 그녀는 심심한 척했어요. | She pretended to be bored. |
View More Examples:
| 그들은 친한 척했어요. | They pretended to be close. |
| 동생이 배고픈 척해요. | My younger sibling pretends to be hungry. |
| 저는 관심 없는 척했어요. | I pretended not to be interested. |
ADVANCED USAGES
You can also use ‘-는 척하다’ in combination with other grammar forms to create more complex sentences.
For instance, it can be combined with -고 (and) or -지만 (but).
| 그는 듣는 척하면서 딴생각했어요. | He pretended to listen while daydreaming. |
| 저는 괜찮은 척했지만 속상했어요. | I pretended to be fine, but I was upset. |
| 아이가 자는 척하고 있었어요. | The child was pretending to sleep. |
View More Examples:
| 우리는 모르는 척하면서 지나갔어요. | We pretended not to know and passed by. |
| 그녀는 아는 척하며 설명했어요. | She pretended to know and explained. |
| 학생들이 열심히 공부하는 척했어요. | The students pretended to study hard. |
COMMON EXPRESSIONS
Here are some frequently used phrases that use this grammar structure:
| 모르는 척하다 | To pretend not to know |
| 들은 척하다 | To pretend to listen |
| 아는 척하다 | To pretend to know (also means to show off knowledge) |
| 못 본 척하다 | To pretend not to see |
| 잘난 척하다 | To act arrogant |
See a few examples:
| 나는 모르는 척했어요. | I pretended not to know. |
| 그는 아는 척해요. | He pretends to know (or shows off). |
| 친구가 못 본 척했어요. | My friend pretended not to see. |
| 잘난 척하지 마세요. | Don’t show off. |
Learn Korean with FlexiClasses
Book online classes with the best teachers in the industry.
FAQs
What does -는 척하다 mean in Korean?
-는 척하다 is used to express that someone is pretending to do something or acting as if something were true, even though it’s not.
Can -는 척하다 be used in past and future tenses?
Yes!
For past actions, use the past verb stem:
→ 먹은 척했어요 (pretended to have eaten)
For future actions, use context or other expressions like -(으)ㄹ 것처럼 행동하다 (acted as if they would…).
What’s the difference between -는 척하다 and -는 체하다?
They are almost identical in meaning and often interchangeable.
However, -는 척하다 is more commonly used in daily conversation, while -는 체하다 is slightly more formal or literary.
Can I use -는 척하다 with adjectives?
Not directly.
Since -는 척하다 attaches to action verbs, you should rephrase adjectives using verb-like expressions.
Example:
Instead of 예쁜 척하다, you can say 예쁜 것처럼 행동하다 (act like she’s pretty).
Is it always negative to say someone is pretending using -는 척하다?
Not necessarily. It depends on the context.
It can be used neutrally (e.g. playing pretend) or negatively (e.g. faking something).
Tone and intention matter a lot in Korean!
Can I learn Korean with LTL?
Yes!
You can study with us in Seoul, in our Hongdae location, or online if you prefer learn from home.
Contact us here if you have any questions.