secreto
“secreto” means “secret” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
secret
Also: secrecy
📝 In Action
No le digas a nadie, es un secreto.
A2Don't tell anyone, it's a secret.
Mi hermano es bueno para guardar secretos.
B1My brother is good at keeping secrets.
El secreto de su éxito es la perseverancia.
B2The secret to his success is perseverance.
secret
Also: covert, hidden
📝 In Action
Hay una puerta secreta detrás de la estantería.
B1There's a secret door behind the bookshelf.
Tuvieron una reunión secreta para discutir el plan.
B1They had a secret meeting to discuss the plan.
El agente secreto llevaba un micrófono oculto.
A2The secret agent wore a hidden microphone.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: secreto
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'sēcrētus', which meant 'separate' or 'set apart'. This originally came from the verb 'sēcernere', meaning 'to separate'. The idea was that a secret is information that is separated from everyone else.
First recorded: Around the 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'secreto' and 'oculto'?
They are very similar! 'Secreto' implies that information is intentionally kept from others, like a plan or a piece of gossip. 'Oculto' means 'hidden' and can be used for physical objects or things that are simply not visible, not necessarily on purpose. For example, 'un tesoro oculto' (a hidden treasure).
How do I know whether to use 'secreto' or 'secreta'?
It depends on its job in the sentence. If it's the secret itself (a noun), it's always 'un secreto' or 'el secreto'. If it's describing another word (an adjective), it must match that word's gender: 'un pasaje secreto' (masculine) but 'una entrada secreta' (feminine).