ocultando
“ocultando” means “hiding” in Spanish (The action of keeping something out of sight.).
hiding, concealing
Also: masking
📝 In Action
El niño está ocultando los dulces debajo de la almohada.
A2The child is hiding the candy underneath the pillow.
Ella estuvo ocultando la verdad durante meses.
B1She was concealing the truth for months.
La niebla estaba ocultando la cima de la montaña.
B2The fog was masking (hiding) the peak of the mountain.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: ocultando
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'ocultando' to show a continuous action?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'ocultar' comes from the Latin verb *occultare*, which meant 'to cover up' or 'to keep secret.' The root *oc* means 'before' or 'over,' and *cultare* is related to 'tilling' or 'caring for,' suggesting covering something up carefully.
First recorded: 13th century (for the base verb)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'ocultando' and 'escondiendo'?
'Ocultando' (from 'ocultar') often implies a deliberate act of concealment, especially of information or feelings, though it works for physical objects too. 'Escondiendo' (from 'esconder') is usually the more common, simple word for physically putting something out of sight.
Can 'ocultando' be used without 'estar'?
Yes, but less often. It can act as an adverb describing how someone is doing something, like 'Salió corriendo, ocultando su rostro' (He left running, hiding his face). However, for the main action of the sentence, it needs a helper verb like 'estar' or 'seguir' (to continue).