Sometimes survival in the wild requires a little bit of acting. In this lesson, we will learn how to describe feigned behavior or "putting on an act," exploring how a cunning possum outwits a predator.
Acting as if: ทำเป็น
To express that someone or something is pretending, putting on airs, or insincerely projecting a trait, use the auxiliary ทำเป็น. It translates directly to "to act as if" or "to pretend."
To use it, simply place ทำเป็น directly before a stative verb (like being dead, sick, or asleep) or an action verb. Let's see how our main character, the possum, uses this defense mechanism when it spots a predator.
Setting the Scene
When a predator creeps closer with the intent to attack, the possum's instinct is to remain completely motionless. Let's look at how we describe this tense standoff before the trick fully plays out.
Luring with Feigned States
By remaining still, the possum employs a clever trick to lure its enemies. You can use ทำเป็น to describe the various states the possum might mimic, such as acting sick or completely asleep, to confuse a curious animal.
Dropping the Act
Because the possum doesn't give the predator the reaction it expects, the predator eventually loses interest and retreats. Once the coast is clear, the possum can finally drop the act. To indicate that a subject stops doing something, you can place the word เลิก before the action.