-(으)ㄴ/는 척하다

Build it

When to use it

Verbs take -는 척하다 for present, -(으)ㄴ 척하다 for a completed action. Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ 척하다. 이다 gives -인 척하다. Stems in ㄹ drop it.

The pretence is deliberate and the speaker knows it is false: 자는 척했어요 means you were awake and performing sleep. This is quite different from -아/어 보이다, which merely reports an impression.

The word 체하다 is an exact synonym and slightly more formal: 아는 체하다, 잘난 체하다. Two of these have hardened into set expressions for showing off.

Because it attributes dishonesty, saying it about someone senior is a strong accusation.

How to attach it

In use

1. 피곤해서 자는 척했어요.

   I was tired, so I pretended to be asleep.

2. 모르면서 아는 척하지 마세요.

   Don’t pretend to know when you don’t.

3. 괜찮은 척했지만 사실은 많이 아팠어요.

   I acted like I was fine, but it really hurt.

4. 못 들은 척하고 그냥 지나갔어요.

   I pretended not to hear and just walked past.

5. 그 사람은 늘 잘난 척해요.

   He’s always showing off.

6. 처음 보는 척했지만 서로 아는 사이였어요.

   They acted like strangers, but they knew each other.

Compared with

• -아/어 보이다

  -아/어 보이다 reports how something looks to you; 척하다 says the person is staging it on purpose. One is observation, the other accusation.

  괜찮아 보여요. (you look fine)  /  괜찮은 척해요. (you’re acting fine)

• -(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다

  것 같다 hedges your own judgement; 척하다 makes a claim about someone else’s intent. They are not interchangeable.

  자는 것 같아요. (I think he’s asleep)  /  자는 척해요. (he’s pretending to sleep)

• -(으)ㄴ/는 체하다

  The same construction with a different noun. 체하다 is a little more formal, and 잘난 체하다 and 아는 체하다 are the two you will meet most.

  아는 척하다  /  아는 체하다

Watch out

• 괜찮는 척했어요.

  괜찮은 척했어요.

  괜찮다 is an adjective, so it takes -(으)ㄴ. -는 belongs to verbs.

• 모르면서 알는 척하지 마세요.

  모르면서 아는 척하지 마세요.

  Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -는, as everywhere in the modifier system.

• 부장님이 모르는 척하시네요.

  부장님이 잘 모르시는 것 같습니다.

  척하다 accuses someone of putting on an act. Directed at a superior it is a serious charge, so hedge with 것 같다 instead.

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