〜ふりをする

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

The Japanese phrase 「〜ふりをする」 (furi o suru) is a really useful one. It means "to pretend to be" or "to act as if." You'll hear and use this a lot in everyday conversation when people are talking about someone faking something, or intentionally acting in a certain way that isn't true to their real feelings or situation.

Think of it this way: someone is putting on an act. They are showing an outward appearance that doesn't match their inner reality. This could be for many reasons: to avoid trouble, to play a joke, to hide emotions, or even to try and get something they want. It's not always negative, but it often implies a slight deception.

DEFINITION

To pretend to be; to act as if.

Let's look at some common situations where you'd use 「〜ふりをする」:

• To pretend you know something when you don't.
• To pretend you're busy to avoid a task.
• To pretend you're asleep to avoid talking.
• To pretend you're happy even when you're sad.
• To pretend to be a certain age or profession.

The structure is quite straightforward. You attach 「ふりをする」 to the plain form of a verb or adjective, or to a noun + の. We'll go into more detail on the grammar in the next section, but for now, just grasp the core meaning.

Here are a few examples to get you started:

He pretended not to know.

She pretended to be busy and didn't help me.

The children pretended to be asleep.

As you can see, it's quite versatile. You'll encounter this phrase often in both spoken and written Japanese. Paying attention to the context will help you understand why someone is pretending. Is it for good reasons, or not so good ones?

Understanding 「〜ふりをする」 is key to grasping how Japanese speakers talk about actions that aren't entirely genuine. It's a subtle but important part of natural conversation. Keep an eye out for it in the Japanese you consume, and try to incorporate it into your own speaking and writing.

Alright, let's dive into how to use 〜ふりをする (furi o suru) in Japanese. This phrase is super useful for expressing that someone is pretending or acting like something. It's a common expression, so mastering it will definitely boost your conversational Japanese.

§ Basic Grammar Structure

The basic structure for using 〜ふりをする is pretty straightforward. You'll attach it to the plain form of verbs, i-adjectives, na-adjectives, and nouns. Let's break down each one.

Verb (plain form) + ふりをする

When you want to say someone is pretending to do something, you simply use the plain form of the verb. This could be dictionary form, negative plain form, or past plain form.

Kare wa neta furi o shita.
He pretended to be asleep. (He acted as if he slept.)

Kanojo wa nihongo ga wakaranai furi o shite iru.
She is pretending not to understand Japanese.

i-adjective (plain form) + ふりをする

For i-adjectives, you also use their plain form directly before 〜ふりをする. This applies to both positive and negative forms.

Kare wa isogashii furi o shite iru.
He is pretending to be busy.

Kanojo wa tanoshikunai furi o shita.
She pretended not to be having fun.

na-adjective + な + ふりをする

For na-adjectives, you need to add な (na) after the adjective stem and before 〜ふりをする.

Kare wa genki na furi o shite iru.
He is pretending to be well/energetic.

Kanojo wa shiranai furi o shita.
She pretended not to know. (Here, 知らない is the negative plain form of the verb 知る, 'to know'. It behaves like a na-adjective sometimes but here it's still a verb.)

Noun + の + ふりをする

When you want to say someone is pretending to be a certain noun (e.g., a student, a child), you'll use の (no) after the noun.

Kare wa gakusei no furi o shite iru.
He is pretending to be a student.

Kanojo wa kodomo no furi o shita.
She pretended to be a child.

§ Important Nuances and Usage

〜ふりをする implies that the person knows the reality but is intentionally acting otherwise. It's about deception or putting on an act. It's not about genuinely believing something or being mistaken.

• It's often used when someone is trying to avoid something, hide something, or get a certain reaction from others.
• The verb する (suru) at the end will conjugate like any other regular verb, so you can use it in past tense, negative, progressive, etc. (e.g., ふりをした, ふりをしない, ふりをしている).
• You'll often see this phrase in contexts where there's a slight element of cunning or slyness.

Here are a few more examples to solidify your understanding:

Kare wa nani mo shiranai furi o shite ita.
He was pretending not to know anything.

Kanojo wa byouki no furi o shite, gakkou o yasunda.
She pretended to be sick and took a day off from school.

Kare wa shinken ni kiite iru furi o shite ita ga, jitsu wa hanashi o kiite inakatta.
He was pretending to listen seriously, but in reality, he wasn't listening to the conversation.

By understanding these structures and nuances, you'll be able to use 〜ふりをする naturally and effectively in your Japanese conversations. Keep practicing, and you'll get the hang of it!

§ What ふりをする means

The Japanese phrase 〜ふりをする (furi o suru) means 'to pretend to be' or 'to act as if'. It's used when someone is intentionally giving a false impression or feigning a certain state, emotion, or action. Think of it as putting on an act. This phrase is quite versatile and can be attached to various parts of speech to create different nuances of pretending. It’s a common and useful expression in everyday Japanese.

§ Basic Usage and Grammar

You can attach ふりをする to different forms of verbs and adjectives. This flexibility allows you to express a wide range of pretenses.

• Verbs: Attach to the plain form (dictionary form, ない-form, た-form).
• い-adjectives: Attach to the plain form.
• な-adjectives: Add な before ふりをする.
• Nouns: Add の before ふりをする.

§ Examples of ふりをする in action

Hint

He pretended to be asleep.

Hint

She is pretending not to understand Japanese.

Hint

He was pretending to be busy.

Hint

The child pretended to be an adult.

§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives

While 〜ふりをする is a go-to phrase for 'to pretend,' it's helpful to know how it compares to other expressions. There aren't many direct synonyms that perfectly overlap in all contexts, but understanding the nuances will help you choose the best word.

〜ような気がする (yōna ki ga suru)

This phrase means 'to feel like' or 'to have a feeling that.' It expresses a personal impression or intuition, not a deliberate act of pretending. For example, 眠いような気がする (nemui yōna ki ga suru) means 'I feel like I'm sleepy.' This is about a genuine feeling, not an act.

〜のまねをする (no mane o suru)

This translates to 'to imitate' or 'to mimic.' While it involves acting like someone or something else, the focus is on copying their actions or speech, often for entertainment or learning. For instance, 先生のまねをする (sensei no mane o suru) means 'to imitate the teacher.' This is less about deception and more about replication.

偽る (itsuwaru)

This verb means 'to lie,' 'to deceive,' or 'to falsify.' It carries a stronger connotation of intentional falsehood and often implies a more serious deception than 〜ふりをする. You'd use 偽る when someone is actively fabricating information or misleading others with false statements. For example, 年齢を偽る (nenrei o itsuwaru) means 'to falsify one's age.'

When to use 〜ふりをする: Use 〜ふりをする when someone is putting on an act, feigning a condition, or deliberately giving a false impression without necessarily lying in a direct verbal sense. It's about outward behavior that doesn't match internal reality.

Hint

I pretended not to know them and walked past.

Here, the person isn't necessarily uttering a lie, but their actions are deceptive.

In summary, 〜ふりをする is your best bet when describing someone's intentional act of pretending or feigning. While related, 〜ような気がする is for feelings, 〜のまねをする is for imitation, and 偽る is for more serious, direct deception or falsification.