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How to Say "to hide" in Spanish

English → Spanish

esconder

ess-kohn-DEHR/es.konˈdeɾ/

VerbA1General
Use 'esconder' when you want to hide an object or item, often implying putting it somewhere it cannot be seen or found.
A small, colorful toy shovel is tucked out of sight beneath a stack of three large, striped beach towels on a sandy beach.

Examples

Escondí el regalo para que nadie lo viera antes de la fiesta.

I hid the present so that no one would see it before the party.

Ella siempre esconde sus sentimientos detrás de una sonrisa.

She always conceals her feelings behind a smile.

¿Dónde escondiste las llaves del coche?

Where did you hide the car keys?

Requires an Object

When used transitively, 'esconder' must be followed by what is being hidden (the direct object). You can't just say 'Yo escondo' without saying what.

ocultar

/oh-kool-TAHR//o.kulˈtaɾ/

verbA2General
Choose 'ocultar' when the act of hiding involves deliberately keeping a physical object or person secret, often with an implication of importance or deceit.
A simple illustration showing a pair of hands hiding a small red ball behind a large green bush.

Examples

Ella ocultó las llaves debajo del felpudo.

She hid the keys under the doormat.

El sol se ocultó tras las montañas al anochecer.

The sun hid (set) behind the mountains at dusk.

Using the Reflexive Form

When the subject is hiding itself (like 'I hid myself'), you must use the reflexive form: 'ocultarse'. For example, 'Me oculté en el armario' (I hid in the closet).

Hiding Yourself

Mistake: “Yo oculté en el armario.”

Correction: Yo me oculté en el armario. (The action must reflect back onto the person doing the hiding.)

cubrir

koo-BREER/kuˈβriɾ/

verbA1General
Use 'cubrir' specifically when the intention is to conceal something from view by placing something over it, often for protection or to make it less visible.
A red box being completely draped and concealed by a bright blue blanket.

Examples

Ella siempre cubre el sofá con una manta para protegerlo.

She always covers the sofa with a blanket to protect it.

La nieve cubrió toda la montaña en una noche.

The snow covered the whole mountain in one night.

Para la pintura, debes cubrir las ventanas con papel.

For painting, you must cover the windows with paper.

Irregular Past Participle

Even though 'cubrir' is mostly regular, its past participle (the form used with 'haber' or as an adjective) is irregular: 'cubierto', not 'cubrido'. Always remember this exception!

Using 'cubrir' for closing things

Mistake: “Voy a cubrir la botella.”

Correction: Voy a tapar la botella. ('Tapar' is better when referring to putting a lid or stopper on something.)

General vs. Specific Hiding

Learners often confuse 'esconder' (general hiding) with 'cubrir' (hiding by covering) and 'ocultar' (hiding something secret/important). Remember that 'esconder' is the default, while the others have more specific meanings.

Related Translations

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