verdecken
to cover
To place, put, or hold something over or in front of another thing so that it is no longer visible.
EXAMPLE
Eine große Wolke verdeckte die Sonne.
A large cloud covered the sun.
verdecken
to cover / to conceal
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Meanings
verdecken
to conceal
To deliberately hide or keep something secret, such as intentions, feelings, or facts, so that others do not notice it.
EXAMPLE
Er versuchte, seine Nervosität mit einem gezwungenen Lächeln zu verdecken.
He tried to conceal his nervousness with a forced smile.
verdecken
to place face down
In a card game, to place a card on the table with the picture side facing down so that the other players cannot see it.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Spieler zieht eine Karte und legt sie verdeckt vor sich ab.
Each player draws a card and places it face down in front of them.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verdecken' (to cover / to conceal) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' always remains attached to the stem 'decken' (to cover), regardless of tense or sentence position.
EXAMPLE
Er verdeckte sein Gesicht mit den Händen.
He covered his face with his hands.
Context clue
Whether 'verdecken' (to cover / to conceal) is meant literally or figuratively can be recognized from the object. With concrete objects like 'Gesicht' (face) or 'Sonne' (sun), it is literal. With abstract things like 'Gefühle' (feelings) or 'Absichten' (intentions), it is figurative.
EXAMPLE
Der Vorhang verdeckt das Fenster nur halb.
The curtain only half covers the window.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'verdecken' (to conceal) is often used with abstract nouns. Typical combinations are 'seine Absichten verdecken' (to conceal one's intentions), 'die Wahrheit verdecken' (to conceal the truth), or 'seine Spuren verdecken' (to cover one's tracks).
EXAMPLE
Der Politiker versuchte, den wahren Grund für seine Entscheidung zu verdecken.
The politician tried to conceal the real reason for his decision.
Adjective/adverb 'verdeckt'
The past participle 'verdeckt' is often used as an adjective or adverb. It means 'secret' or 'not openly visible', not only with cards but also in investigations.
EXAMPLE
Der Detektiv führte eine verdeckte Ermittlung durch.
The detective carried out an undercover investigation.
Compare with
verdecken vs bedecken
to cover
Bedecken and verdecken can both result in something no longer being visible. Bedecken tends to emphasize that a layer lies on a surface, whereas verdecken emphasizes the loss of visibility, even when something is standing or being held in front of it. Choose bedecken for the surface and verdecken for visibility.
verdecken
Der große Karton verdeckt die Sicht auf den Tisch.
The large box blocks the view of the table.
bedecken
Das Tuch bedeckt die gesamte Oberfläche des Tisches.
The cloth covers the entire surface of the table.
In real life
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