The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Esconder is used to give direct orders or instructions to hide something or someone, for example Esconde la llave debajo de la alfombra. (Hide the key under the rug.)

Esconder is a regular -er verb, meaning its conjugations follow the typical pattern for verbs ending in -er in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Esconder (to hide) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Esconder generally means to hide or conceal something, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To hide or conceal: This is the most common meaning. For example, ¡Esconde la evidencia! (Hide the evidence!)

To stash or put away: For example, ¡Esconde el dinero en un lugar seguro! (Stash the money in a safe place!)

To keep secret or not reveal: For example, ¡Esconde tus verdaderos sentimientos! (Keep your true feelings secret!)

Colloquial: To avoid or dodge: In some Latin American vernacular, it can mean to avoid or dodge something. For example, ¡Escóndete de los problemas! (Dodge the problems!)

Rude: To conceal one’s presence: In a rude context, it can mean to conceal one’s presence from someone. For example, ¡Escóndete de tu suegra! (Hide from your mother-in-law!)

Examples

Examples of Esconder in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Esconde la llave debajo del tapete antes de salir! (Hide the key under the mat before leaving!)

Mamá, escondamos los regalos de Navidad en el ático. (Mom, let’s hide the Christmas gifts in the attic.)

Por favor, esconda su pasaporte en un lugar seguro durante el viaje. (Please hide your passport in a safe place during the trip.)

Oye, esconde esa cerveza antes de que llegue la policía. (Hey, hide that beer before the cops show up.)

Niños, escondan sus juguetes cuando terminen de jugar. (Kids, hide your toys when you’re done playing.)

En el juego de las escondidas, esconde tu cuerpo detrás de algo grande. (In the game of hide and seek, hide your body behind something big.)

Si no quieres que tu pareja vea tus mensajes, esconde el chat en una aplicación secreta. (If you don’t want your partner to see your messages, hide the chat in a secret app.)

Antes de la inspección de la oficina, escondamos todos los documentos confidenciales. (Before the office inspection, let’s hide all the confidential documents.)

¡Esconde esa botella de vino antes de que lleguen tus padres! (Hide that wine bottle before your parents arrive!)

En la fiesta de disfraces, esconda su identidad con un disfraz creativo. (At the costume party, hide your identity with a creative costume.)

Cuando juegues a las escondidas con tus amigos, escondan sus risas para no ser descubiertos. (When playing hide and seek with your friends, hide your laughter so you don’t get caught.)

Si quieres sorprender a tu pareja, esconde un regalo especial en un lugar inesperado. (If you want to surprise your partner, hide a special gift in an unexpected place.)

En el trabajo, esconda sus archivos personales para mantener la privacidad. (At work, hide your personal files to maintain privacy.)

Cuando viajes, esconde tus objetos de valor en una maleta con candado. (When traveling, hide your valuables in a locked suitcase.)

Si estás jugando al escondite con tus sobrinos, escondamos nuestros cuerpos en un armario grande. (If you’re playing hide and seek with your nephews, let’s hide our bodies in a big closet.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Esconder (to hide) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.