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disimular

dee-see-moo-LAHR/disimuˈlaɾ/

“disimular” means “to hide” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to hide, to conceal

Also: to mask
VerbB1regular ar
A child hiding a mischievous smile behind their hand while sitting at a dinner table.
gerunddisimulando
past Participledisimulado
infinitivedisimular

📝 In Action

Ella intentó disimular su tristeza con una sonrisa.

B1

She tried to hide her sadness with a smile.

Usa maquillaje para disimular la cicatriz.

A2

She uses makeup to conceal the scar.

No puedes disimular que estás enojado conmigo.

B2

You can't hide the fact that you are angry with me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • disimular un bostezo – to hide a yawn
  • disimular las ganas – to hide the desire/urge
  • intentar disimular – to try to hide it

to pretend, to play it cool

Also: to look the other way
VerbB2regular ar
A person looking at a bird in the sky while pointedly ignoring a spilled glass of water on the table next to them.
gerunddisimulando
past Participledisimulado
infinitivedisimular

📝 In Action

¡Disimula! Ahí viene tu ex novio.

B1

Play it cool! There comes your ex-boyfriend.

Vio el accidente pero disimuló y siguió caminando.

B2

He saw the accident but pretended not to notice and kept walking.

No sabe disimular; se le nota en la cara cuando miente.

B2

He doesn't know how to play it cool; you can see it on his face when he lies.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • delatarse (to give oneself away)

Common Collocations

  • disimular ante los demás – to play it cool in front of others

Idioms & Expressions

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdisimularan
yodisimulara
túdisimularas
vosotrosdisimularais
nosotrosdisimuláramos
él/ella/usteddisimulara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdisimulen
yodisimule
túdisimules
vosotrosdisimuléis
nosotrosdisimulemos
él/ella/usteddisimule

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesdisimularon
yodisimulé
túdisimulaste
vosotrosdisimulasteis
nosotrosdisimulamos
él/ella/usteddisimuló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesdisimulaban
yodisimulaba
túdisimulabas
vosotrosdisimulabais
nosotrosdisimulábamos
él/ella/usteddisimulaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesdisimulan
yodisimulo
túdisimulas
vosotrosdisimuláis
nosotrosdisimulamos
él/ella/usteddisimula
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "disimular" in Spanish:

to conceal→to hide→to mask→to pretend→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: disimular

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence means 'Act natural, your boss is coming'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
disimulo(stealth/dissimulation) — Noun
disimulado(sneaky/concealed) — Adjective
disimuladamente(discreetly/secretly) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From Latin 'dissimulare', where 'dis-' means 'away/not' and 'simulare' means 'to make like'. Essentially, it means making something look like what it is not.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: dissimulateFrench: dissimuler

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'esconder' and 'disimular'?

Use 'esconder' when you physically put an object out of sight (like hiding a key). Use 'disimular' when you are trying to make a feeling, a fact, or a physical defect less noticeable through your behavior or appearance.

Can I use 'disimular' for physical things?

Yes! You can 'disimular' a stain on a carpet by putting a chair over it, or 'disimular' a sound by turning up the TV.

Does 'disimular' always imply lying?

Not necessarily. It often implies a social grace—like hiding a yawn or trying not to look at someone's awkward haircut.