Hacerse el sueco
To pretend to be Swedish.
to play dumb; **to play dumb**; **to pretend not to know**; **to feign ignorance**; **to act as if one knows nothing**; **to turn a blind eye** (in some contexts)
Hacerse el sueco means to pretend not to understand, deliberately ignore something or feign ignorance in order to avoid responsibility or involvement.
No te hagas el sueco.
Don't play dumb.
Cuando le preguntaron, se hizo el sueco.
When they asked him, he pretended not to know.
Siempre se hace el sueco cuando hay problemas.
He always plays dumb when there's a problem.
Se hizo el sueco para no contestar.
She feigned ignorance to avoid answering.
- ignores a direct question
- pretends not to hear something
- avoids taking responsibility
- acts as though they know nothing
- deliberately avoids becoming involved
Despite popular belief, the expression is not related to Swedish people.
The most widely accepted explanation links sueco to the old Latin word soccus, meaning a type of soft slipper.
From this developed the Spanish adjective zueco and, through popular evolution, the idea of someone appearing slow, passive or unresponsive.
Modern linguists generally reject the idea that the expression refers to the nationality.
Today, Spanish speakers simply understand it as pretending not to notice or understand.
The expression is usually mildly critical but often humorous.
It suggests that the listener knows perfectly well what is happening but is choosing to ignore it.
It is frequently heard between friends, relatives and colleagues.
Spanish has several expressions describing deliberate pretence:
- Hacerse el sueco → to play dumb.
- Hacerse el loco → to pretend not to notice.
- Mirar hacia otro lado → to look the other way.
All involve avoiding responsibility, but hacerse el sueco specifically emphasises pretending not to understand.
Do not translate the expression literally.
English speakers would never say:
He's pretending to be Swedish.
Instead, use expressions such as:
- He's playing dumb.
- She's pretending not to know.
- He's feigning ignorance.
- She's acting as if she knows nothing.
The important idea is deliberate pretence.
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