Inklingo

How to Say "cover-up" in Spanish

English → Spanish

maquillaje

mah-kee-YAH-hehma.kiˈʝa.xe

nounC1general
Use 'maquillaje' when the 'cover-up' involves falsifying or distorting information to make a situation appear better than it is, particularly in official or financial contexts.
A simple illustration showing a small, gray object (representing truth or facts) completely hidden and obscured beneath a large, brightly colored, decorative cloth.

Examples

El informe financiero era solo un maquillaje de la situación real de la empresa.

The financial report was merely a cover-up of the company's real situation.

Los políticos intentaron hacer un maquillaje a las cifras de desempleo.

The politicians tried to disguise the unemployment figures.

tapadera

ta-pa-DE-ratapaˈðeɾa

nounB2general
Use 'tapadera' when the 'cover-up' refers to a business or activity that exists solely to conceal an illegal or illicit operation, often acting as a front.
A small, colorful flower shop with a bright awning and plants in the window.

Examples

Esa peluquería es solo una tapadera para el casino ilegal.

That hair salon is just a front for the illegal casino.

Usaron la empresa como tapadera para no pagar impuestos.

They used the company as a cover-up to avoid paying taxes.

Nadie sospechaba que su trabajo era una tapadera.

Nobody suspected that his job was a front.

Metaphorical Use

Just like in English we 'uncover' a secret, Spanish uses the word for 'lid' (tapadera) to describe a 'front' that hides something underneath.

Incorrect Preposition

Mistake: “Una tapadera de sus crímenes.”

Correction: Una tapadera para sus crímenes. When saying what something is a front 'for', use 'para'.

Maquillaje vs. Tapadera

Learners often confuse 'maquillaje' and 'tapadera' by using 'maquillaje' for any kind of hiding. Remember that 'maquillaje' specifically implies altering facts or numbers, while 'tapadera' refers to a physical front for an illicit operation.

Related Translations

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