desocultar
/desokultaɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'unhide' is translated into Spanish as desocultar.
desocultar is used to describe the action of making something visible again that was previously hidden. It is the standard technical term found in software interfaces to denote the action of making a hidden element visible.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the prefix des- (indicating the undoing of an action) and ocultar (to hide).
Which one should you use?
While mostrar means 'to show', desocultar specifically implies reversing a previous state of being hidden.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, note that revelar can also refer to the process of developing photos at a photo lab.
How do you pronounce it?
/desokultaɾ/
Did you know?
- While desocultar is common in software, the word ocultar shares a root with the English word 'occult', which originally meant 'hidden' or 'secret' rather than specifically supernatural.
- To 'unhide' a secret or a scandal, Spanish speakers use destapar, which literally means 'to take off the lid'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the verb desocultar is almost exclusively reserved for computer science, and using it in conversation might sound strangely robotic or overly technical.
Examples in context
- Desoculta este archivo, por favorUnhide this file, please
- Debes desocultar la carpeta en el escritorio.You must unhide the folder on the desktop.
- ¿Cómo puedo desocultar mis archivos de fotos?How can I unhide my photo files?
- El programa permite desocultar los elementos rápidamente.The program allows you to unhide the elements quickly.
Example conversation
Javier is helping María with a spreadsheet on her laptop.
- JavierMaría, falta una parte de los datos aquí.María, a part of the data is missing here.
- MaríaCreo que las filas están ocultas.I think the rows are hidden.
- JavierIntenta desocultar las filas seleccionando todo.Try to unhide the rows by selecting everything.
- MaríaYa están, ahora puedo ver los números.There they are, now I can see the numbers.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
