Translation guide
The English word 'pretending' covers a range of situations: from playful make-believe to deceptive feigning. In Japanese, the most common way to express this is with the phrase ふりをする (furi o suru), but there are also specific verbs and expressions for different nuances.
To act as if something is true when it is not, often to deceive or avoid something.
The most common and versatile way to say 'pretend to do something'. Attach to the plain form of a verb or adjective.
He pretended to be asleep.
Please don't pretend you don't know.
To feign or put on an appearance, often used for emotions or states. More formal/literary than ふりをする.
I pretended to be calm.
To make something look like something else; to fake or disguise. Often used for appearances or situations.
a murder disguised as an accident
To pretend in a game or imaginative context, like children playing.
To act as if you don't see, hear, or know something, often to avoid involvement.
To assume a false identity or role, often for deception.
ふりをする is for any kind of pretending, including deceptive or serious contexts. ごっこをする is specifically for children's imaginative play and sounds childish if used for adult deception.
to play dead (as a survival tactic or joke)
to play dead (as a children's game)
There is no single Japanese verb that covers all uses of 'pretend'. Avoid trying to translate it word-for-word. Use the appropriate phrase for the context.
You must not pretend not to see bullying.
身分を偽って入国した。
He entered the country under a false identity.