Let's learn how to use the V/A + ((으)ㄴ/는 척하다 Korean Grammar with some simple and easy-to-understand example sentences.
V/A + (으)ㄴ/는 척하다 Korean Grammar
USE:
(으)ㄴ/는 척하다 means “to pretend to…” / “ऐसा दिखावा करना कि…”.
It is used when someone acts like they did/are doing/will do something, but in reality they did not.
~ Think of it as: to fake, to pretend, to act as if.
CONJUGATION RULE
- Action Verbs : -는 척하다
- 공부하다 → 공부하는 척하다 (to pretend to study / पढ़ाई करने का नाटक करना)
- 자다 → 자는 척하다 (to pretend to sleep / सोने का नाटक करना)
- Descriptive Verbs / Adjectives : -(으)ㄴ 척하다
- 아프다 → 아픈 척하다 (to pretend to be sick / बीमार होने का नाटक करना)
- 바쁘다 → 바쁜 척하다 (to pretend to be busy / व्यस्त होने का नाटक करना)
- Past Tense Verbs: -(으)ㄴ 척하다
- 본 척하다 (to pretend to have seen / देखने का नाटक करना)
- 들은 척하다 (to pretend to have heard / सुनने का नाटक करना)
EXAMPLE SENTENCES:
- 수잔 씨는 수업 시간에 자는 척했어요.
(Sujan pretended to sleep in class. / उसने क्लास में सोने का नाटक किया।) - 저는 숙제를 다 한 것처럼 공부하는 척했어요.
(I pretended to study as if I had finished my homework. / मैंने ऐसा दिखाया जैसे मैंने होमवर्क पूरा कर लिया हो।) - 그는 아픈 척했지만 사실 건강했어요.
(He pretended to be sick, but he was actually healthy. / उसने बीमार होने का नाटक किया, लेकिन वह वास्तव में स्वस्थ था।) - 저는 친구 앞에서 바쁜 척했어요.
(I pretended to be busy in front of my friend. / मैंने दोस्त के सामने व्यस्त होने का दिखावा किया।) - 저는 그 사람을 본 척했어요.
(I pretended to have seen that person. / मैंने ऐसा दिखाया कि मैंने उस व्यक्ति को देखा है।) - 친구가 제 이야기를 들은 척했어요.
(My friend pretended to have heard my story. / मेरे दोस्त ने मेरी बात सुनने का नाटक किया।)
NUANCE AND NOTES
- 척하다 vs. 체하다: Both mean “to pretend,” but 척하다 is more common in daily speech. 체하다 feels a bit more formal or old-fashioned.
- Often used when describing fake emotions, actions, or excuses.
- Sometimes paired with 마치 …처럼 (“as if …”) for emphasis.
예: 그는 마치 아무 일도 없는 것처럼 모르는 척했어요.
(He pretended as if nothing had happened. / उसने ऐसा दिखाया जैसे कुछ हुआ ही नहीं।)
