pretende

Pretende is a present tense form found in several Romance languages, most commonly Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. It is the third-person singular present indicative of the verb pretender in these languages, and it can also correspond to the formal you in some contexts. The precise meaning depends on language and usage, but the core senses relate to claiming, demanding, or intending.

Etymology: Pretende derives from the Latin praetendere, meaning to stretch forth, present, or put forward. Over time it split into distinct verbs in the Romance family, taking meanings related to asserting a claim, demanding something, or intending to do something.

In Italian: Pretendere can mean to claim or insist that something is true, or to demand something from someone (as in a payment or right). It can also express a sense of intention in phrases like pretendere di fare qualcosa, though more natural phrasing for “to pretend” in Italian is fare finta di. Examples: L’azienda pretende il pagamento entro domani (the company demands payment by tomorrow); Lei pretende di avere ragione (she claims to be right); Non pretendo di sapere tutto (I don’t claim to know everything).

In Portuguese: Pretender commonly means to intend or to plan to do something. It can also mean to pretend in certain contexts. Examples: Ele pretende estudar medicina (he intends to study medicine); Não pretendo enganar ninguém (I don’t intend to deceive anyone); Ela pretende tornar-se médica (she intends to become a doctor).

In Spanish: Pretender mostly means to intend or to aim to do something. It can also express pretension or feigned intent in some constructions. Examples: Él pretende obtener la victoria (he intends to obtain the victory); Ella pretende presentar un informe (she intends to present a report).

Notes: The exact nuance—claim, demand, intention, or feigning—depends on language and surrounding words. It is distinct from the English verb pretend (to feign) in many contexts, where other verbs are preferred.