JLPT N1 Grammar
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Pretend to be; act like
Category: State and Appearance
The grammar pattern "N / Adj-stem + ぶる" is used to describe a situation where someone is trying to appear more than they are or acting in a way that doesn't fit their true nature. It has a negative nuance and is often used to express irony or sarcasm. For example, if someone is pretending to be confident but is actually nervous, you might say "彼は何も知らないくせに、いつも自信のある態度をとる". This pattern is often used to highlight the discrepancy between someone's appearance and their true nature.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Nai form | N / Adj-stem + ぶる | 知らないくせに |
| I form | N / Adj-stem + ぶる | 偉いくせに |
| Te form | N / Adj-stem + ぶる | 偉いくせにいる |
彼は何も知らないくせに、いつも自信のある態度をとる。
Kare wa nanimo shiranai kuse ni, itsumo jishin no aru taido o toru.
He always acts confidently, despite not knowing anything.
彼は何も知らないくせに (He doesn't know anything, but) いつも自信のある態度をとる (always acts confidently)
彼女は金持ちくせに、実際は借金だらけだ。
Kanojo wa kane-mochi kuse ni, jitsumon wa kashikoki da.
Despite being rich, she's actually deeply in debt.
彼女は金持ちくせに (She's rich, but) 実際は借金だらけだ (actually deeply in debt)
新入社員なのに偉いくせに、偉い態度をとるのは、あまり感心しない。
Shinnyū shain na no ni, attakai kuse ni, attakai taido o toru no wa, amari kanjin shinai.
It's not impressive that a new employee acts so confidently, despite being new.
新入社員なのに (despite being a new employee) 偉いくせに (trying to act confidently) 偉い態度をとるのは (acting confidently is) あまり感心しない (not impressive)
This pattern is used to express irony or sarcasm, and is often used to highlight the discrepancy between someone's appearance and their true nature. It's not used to praise someone, but rather to point out their flaws. It's also not used to describe someone's natural appearance, but rather their attempt to appear a certain way.
This pattern has a negative nuance, so it's not suitable for praise. Instead, use a pattern that conveys a positive meaning.
This pattern is used to express irony or sarcasm, while 'meku' and 'biru' are used to describe natural appearance or signs of something.
This pattern requires the adjective to be in the Nai form, which means dropping the 'i' from the adjective.
When using this pattern on the JLPT exam, make sure to pay attention to the context and the nuance of the sentence. This pattern is often used to express irony or sarcasm, so be careful not to confuse it with other patterns. Also, make sure to use the correct form of the adjective and drop the 'i' if necessary.
彼は何も知らないくせに、いつも通______態度をとる。
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