Signification
To pretend not to understand.
Contexte culturel
The concept of 'șmecherie' (being street-smart) often involves knowing exactly when to 'face pe nebunul' to avoid trouble with authorities. In many Balkan cultures, feigning ignorance is a socially accepted way to avoid direct conflict, which is often seen as too aggressive. In modern Romanian offices, this phrase is often used to describe 'quiet quitting' or avoiding extra tasks without saying 'no' directly. During the communist era, 'a face pe nebunul' was a common way to deal with absurd bureaucratic demands.
Gender Matters
Always remember to change 'nebunul' to 'nebuna' if the person you are talking about is female.
Don't be too rude
This phrase can be seen as an accusation. Use it only with people you know well.
Signification
To pretend not to understand.
Gender Matters
Always remember to change 'nebunul' to 'nebuna' if the person you are talking about is female.
Don't be too rude
This phrase can be seen as an accusation. Use it only with people you know well.
The 'Niznai' Alternative
If you want to sound very native and a bit old-school, use 'a face pe niznaiul' instead.
Teste-toi
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.
Ea nu vrea să răspundă, așa că ______ pe nebuna.
The subject 'Ea' (She) requires the third person singular form of the verb 'a face'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Talking to a group of friends:
The verb 'faceți' is plural, so the noun 'nebunii' must also be plural.
Match the response to the situation.
Situation: You ask your brother who broke the TV, and he starts talking about the weather.
He is pretending not to know about the TV, which is the perfect time to use the idiom.
Fill in the missing line.
Andrei: 'Unde sunt banii de chirie?' Ion: 'Ce chirie? Noi stăm aici gratis, nu?' Andrei: '____________________'
Ion is clearly pretending to forget they have to pay rent.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesEa nu vrea să răspundă, așa că ______ pe nebuna.
The subject 'Ea' (She) requires the third person singular form of the verb 'a face'.
Talking to a group of friends:
The verb 'faceți' is plural, so the noun 'nebunii' must also be plural.
Situation: You ask your brother who broke the TV, and he starts talking about the weather.
He is pretending not to know about the TV, which is the perfect time to use the idiom.
Andrei: 'Unde sunt banii de chirie?' Ion: 'Ce chirie? Noi stăm aici gratis, nu?' Andrei: '____________________'
Ion is clearly pretending to forget they have to pay rent.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsIt depends on the context. Between friends, it's a joke. To a stranger or boss, it's an insult because you're calling them a liar.
Yes! 'Am făcut pe nebunul' (I played dumb) is a common way to admit you avoided something.
The plural is 'a face pe nebunii' (masculine) or 'a face pe nebunele' (feminine).
90% of the time, yes. Occasionally it can mean acting wild, but 'playing dumb' is the primary idiom.
Not really. In formal settings, you would say 'a pretinde că nu înțelege' (to pretend not to understand).
Absolutely not. It is far too informal.
'A face pe nebunul' is more active (answering with 'I don't know'), while 'a se face că plouă' is more passive (ignoring the question entirely).
Yes, it is a universal Romanian idiom.
You say: 'Nu face pe nebunul cu mine!'
Yes, in this idiom, you must use the articulated form 'nebunul'.
Expressions liées
A se face că plouă
synonymTo act like it's raining (to ignore something).
A face pe deșteptul
contrastTo act like a know-it-all.
A face pe niznaiul
similarTo play the 'I don't know' person.
A o face pe mortul în păpușoi
specialized formTo act dead in the cornfield.
