Introduction
pretenderemos is a Spanish verb form that learners may see when someone talks about plans, goals, or intentions. It can mean we will intend to, we will aim to, or we will try to, depending on the sentence. It is the simple future form of pretender for nosotros, meaning we in English. For example, a group might use it to describe what it hopes to achieve next week or what it plans to do during a project.
This word is also useful because pretender has more than one meaning. In some situations, it can express an intention or an ambition; in others, it can mean to claim something or to seek a particular result. It does not usually mean to pretend in the English sense of acting as if something false were true. Learning the context around the verb helps you understand which meaning is intended and choose a natural translation. This guide explains its form, pronunciation, related words, and everyday use, with clear examples to help you recognize it and use it confidently.
Meaning and Definition
pretenderemos is the first-person plural form of the simple future tense of pretender. The subject is nosotros or nosotras, which means we. In a sentence, the subject may be stated directly, as in nosotros pretenderemos, or left out because the verb ending already shows who is acting. The form can be translated as we will intend, we will aim, we will seek, or we will try, depending on context.
One common meaning of pretender is to have a goal or intention. For instance, if a group says that it will try to finish a task before Friday, it can describe that plan with this verb. The word often suggests that the result is something people hope or aim to achieve. It does not always promise success. The group may have a clear objective while still recognizing that the outcome is uncertain.
Pretender can also mean to claim or assert something, especially when a person presents an idea as true. In that use, pretenderemos may mean we will claim or we will maintain that something is the case. The surrounding words make the meaning clear. A phrase about goals or plans usually points to intend or aim, while a phrase about an argument or position may point to claim.
In some contexts, pretender can mean to seek someone’s affection or court someone. This use is less common in everyday conversation than the general sense of having an aim, and it may sound formal, literary, or old-fashioned. A sentence about a person and a romantic interest can reveal this special meaning. Learners should not assume it is the intended sense unless the context supports it.
The word is related to the verb pretender in Latin, which carried the idea of stretching something forward or putting something forward. Over time, the Spanish verb developed meanings connected with putting forward a claim, seeking a result, or having an intention. Its resemblance to English pretend is a common source of confusion. English pretend normally means to act as if something is true when it is not; Spanish pretender usually means to intend, aim, seek, or claim. This difference makes pretender a false friend.
The future ending is added to the complete infinitive pretender. Spanish uses the same future endings for many verbs, including verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir. For the nosotros form, the ending is -emos. So the structure is pretender plus -emos. This pattern makes the form easier to recognize once you know the Spanish simple future.
Usage and Example Sentences
The following examples show how context changes the best English translation. Notice that the verb can describe a practical plan, a goal, or a claim. Spanish often leaves out the subject pronoun because the verb ending makes the subject clear.
Spanish: Este año pretenderemos aprender diez palabras nuevas cada semana.
English: This year, we will aim to learn ten new words each week.
Spanish: No pretenderemos terminar todo hoy; trabajaremos paso a paso.
English: We will not try to finish everything today; we will work step by step.
Spanish: Con este proyecto, pretenderemos ofrecer una solución sencilla.
English: With this project, we will seek to offer a simple solution.
Spanish: Si practicamos juntos, pretenderemos hablar con más confianza.
English: If we practice together, we will aim to speak with more confidence.
Spanish: En la presentación, pretenderemos explicar el tema con ejemplos claros.
English: In the presentation, we will try to explain the topic with clear examples.
Spanish: No pretenderemos que cada persona tenga la misma opinión.
English: We will not claim that every person has the same opinion.
Spanish: Durante la reunión, pretenderemos llegar a un acuerdo razonable.
English: During the meeting, we will aim to reach a reasonable agreement.
Spanish: Al escribir la guía, pretenderemos ayudar a los lectores a estudiar mejor.
English: In writing the guide, we will intend to help readers study more effectively.
In several examples, English sounds more natural with aim to or try to than with intend to. Translation is not always word for word. For example, we will intend to learn is understandable, but we will aim to learn is usually smoother English. In Spanish, the original verb can still be natural when it describes a planned objective.
The future tense can refer to a decision or plan made now, but it can also express a prediction about what a group will do. The precise meaning depends on the rest of the sentence and the situation. Adding a time expression such as mañana, este año, or durante la reunión helps make the time frame clear, but it is not required because the verb form already points to the future.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
Several Spanish verbs can replace pretender in some sentences, but they do not all have the same meaning. Intentar means to try or attempt. If the focus is on making an effort, intentar is often the most direct choice. For example, intentaremos aprender means we will try to learn. It emphasizes the effort more than the intention behind a goal.
Procurar means to try to do something or to make an effort to do it. It can sound a little more careful or formal than intentar. Buscaremos, the future form of buscar, means we will look for or seek. It is useful when the sentence is about searching for an answer, a solution, or an opportunity. Aspiraremos means we will aspire to or hope to reach a goal, and often sounds more ambitious or elevated.
Querer means to want. Querremos, its future form, can describe what we will want, but it does not always communicate a specific effort or plan. If someone wants to show a definite intention, pretender or intentar may fit better. Planear means to plan, and planearemos is a useful alternative when the sentence focuses on arranging a future activity. The best verb depends on whether the idea is desire, effort, planning, or a goal.
For the sense of claim, afirmar means to state or assert, while sostener means to maintain or support a position. These verbs may be clearer than pretender when the speaker is making an argument. For example, afirmaremos que la idea es útil means we will state that the idea is useful. Pretenderemos que la idea es útil could also be understood as we will claim that the idea is useful, but its meaning may need more context.
There is no single opposite for every use of pretender. If it means to aim for something, renunciar a that goal means to give it up, while evitar means to avoid an action. If the intended sense is to claim something, negar means to deny it. These are opposites only in particular contexts, not direct opposites of the verb in every sentence.
Most importantly, do not translate pretender automatically as pretend. If you mean that someone will act as if something is true, Spanish often uses fingir. The future form fingiremos means we will pretend or we will act as if. If you mean that a group will try to reach a goal, pretenderemos may fit instead. Checking the meaning of the full sentence is more reliable than matching words by appearance.
Pronunciation and Accent
A useful pronunciation guide for pretenderemos is preh-ten-deh-REH-mos. Its International Phonetic Alphabet pronunciation is /pɾe.ten.deˈɾe.mos/. The word has five syllables: pre, ten, de, re, and mos. The strongest stress falls on re, the next-to-last syllable. Say the word with an even rhythm, giving that syllable the clearest emphasis.
There is no written accent mark in this form. Spanish words that end in a vowel, n, or s normally have stress on the next-to-last syllable unless a written accent mark shows a different pattern. Because the stress in this word follows that regular rule, an accent mark is not needed. Learners sometimes add one by mistake, but the standard spelling is pretenderemos, without an accent.
The r sound in the middle is a light tap, similar to the quick r in many Spanish words such as pero. It is not the long, strongly trilled sound used for rr in perro. The first syllable begins with a consonant cluster written pr. Keep the p and r close together rather than adding a vowel between them. Spanish vowels are generally clear and steady, so pronounce each e as a short, pure vowel rather than changing it into an English diphthong.
Pronunciation varies slightly across Spanish-speaking regions. In many places, the final s is clearly pronounced. In some accents, it may sound softer, but learners can begin with a clear s and still be understood widely. A common mistake is to put stress on ten or to pronounce the final part as if it were an English word. Listening to native speakers and repeating the five syllables slowly can help establish the natural rhythm.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
Native speakers use pretender when they want to describe an intention, an aim, or something they are seeking to accomplish. It can appear in everyday conversation, but it often sounds more goal-focused than simply saying that someone wants to do something. A sentence with this verb may suggest a plan or objective, while querer may express a personal wish without saying how the person will act on it.
The simple future can sound direct, formal, or deliberate, especially in a presentation, a written plan, or a group discussion. In casual speech, speakers may also use ir a plus an infinitive to talk about plans. For example, vamos a intentar mejorar means we are going to try to improve. That alternative is often conversational and clearly describes a plan. The future form is still natural when a speaker wants a compact statement about what the group will aim to do.
The meaning of pretender is strongly shaped by what follows it. An infinitive such as mejorar, ayudar, or aprender often points to an intended goal. A phrase beginning with que may signal a claim or position. References to a person and affection may suggest the less common sense of courting. When reading, look at the verb’s complement and the larger topic before settling on a translation.
In formal writing, pretender can describe the aim of a report, lesson, or project. A writer might explain what a guide seeks to accomplish, without claiming that it will definitely succeed. In conversation, the same form can describe a shared plan, though speakers may choose intentar or buscar for a more specific shade of meaning. The verb is not inherently stiff, but the simple future can make the sentence feel considered and purposeful.
Because it is a nosotros form, the word naturally includes a group. That group may be a family, a class, a team, or people speaking on behalf of an organization. The subject pronoun nosotros or nosotras is optional in many sentences. It can be added for emphasis or to make the group explicit, but the verb ending already provides the basic information. This is a useful feature of Spanish to remember when translating into English, where we is usually needed.
Conclusion
pretenderemos is the simple future nosotros form of pretender. Depending on context, it can mean we will intend, we will aim, we will seek, or we will claim. It is especially useful when describing a group’s goals, plans, or position. The verb has several related meanings, so pay attention to the words around it before choosing an English translation.
Remember that Spanish pretender usually does not mean English pretend. For the idea of acting as if something is true, fingir is often the better choice. The word has five syllables, with stress on re, and it does not need a written accent mark. Its future ending follows a regular pattern that appears in many Spanish verbs. By learning the form, pronunciation, and context together, you can understand it more quickly and use it more naturally in conversation, classwork, and writing.
