とぼける · ichidan verb
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | とぼける | とぼけない |
| Polite | とぼけます | とぼけません |
| Past polite | とぼけました | とぼけませんでした |
| Past | とぼけた | とぼけなかった |
| Te-form | とぼけて | とぼけないで |
| Desire | とぼけたい | とぼけたくない |
| Potential | とぼけられるalso とぼけれる | とぼけられないalso とぼけれない |
| Passive | とぼけられる | とぼけられない |
| Causative | とぼけさせる | とぼけさせない |
| Causative passive | とぼけさせられる | とぼけさせられない |
| Volitional | とぼけよう | |
| Polite volitional | とぼけましょう | |
| Imperative | とぼけろ | とぼけるな |
| Conditional | とぼければ | とぼけなければ |
| Tara conditional | とぼけたら | とぼけなかったら |
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
play dumb; feign ignorance; act innocent
Pretending not to know something, often to avoid responsibility or awkwardness. Can also describe a blank, clueless expression.
He knows, but he's putting on an innocent face.
Don't play dumb; explain it properly.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
play the fool; act silly
Acting in a silly or foolish way, often deliberately for humor or to lighten the mood. Overlaps with sense 1 but emphasizes clowning rather than hiding knowledge.
He said something silly at the meeting and made everyone laugh.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
be senile; be in one's dotage
Obsolete usage; historically meant to become senile or demented. Now expressed with ぼける or 呆ける.
In classical texts, とぼける can mean to become senile.
When asked about his debt, he played dumb.
He said 'I don't know' with an innocent look on his face.
She deliberately played dumb to change the subject.
play dumb; feign innocence