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kunwari

kunwárì with stress marks

pretend; pretense

adverb adjective kun-WA-ri Native origin Less Common

Usage Note

Kunwari means to feign or pretend that something is the case when it isn't. It is common in children's imaginative play and equally common in describing insincere or deceptive adult behavior, making it a versatile word across registers.

Examples

Beginner

" Kunwari kang tulog. "

Natural Translation

Pretend you are asleep.

Literal Translation

Pretend you asleep.

Intermediate

" Kunwari siyang natutulog pero nakikinig pala. "

Natural Translation

He/She was pretending to be asleep but was actually listening.

Literal Translation

Pretending he/she-was sleeping but listening actually.

Advanced

" Kunwari pa siyang masaya, pero alam ng lahat na sugatan ang kanyang loob. "

Natural Translation

She still pretends to be happy, but everyone knows that she is hurting inside.

Literal Translation

Pretend still she happy, but knows of all that wounded the her inside.

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