to veil / conceal
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to veil
To cover something or someone completely with a cloth or another material so that it or they are no longer visible.
Vor der Enthüllung war die Statue mit einem großen Tuch verhüllt.
Before the unveiling, the statue was veiled with a large cloth.
to conceal
To deliberately leave something abstract, such as the truth or one's intentions, unclear or hidden.
Er verhüllte seine wahren Absichten hinter freundlichen Worten.
He concealed his true intentions behind friendly words.
The verb consists of the prefix 'ver-' and the stem 'hüllen' (to wrap, to put something into a covering). Here, the prefix 'ver-' reinforces the idea of completely covering or hiding something.
Sie verhüllte ihr Haar mit einem eleganten Schal.
She veiled her hair with an elegant scarf.
The prefix 'ver-' is inseparable. It remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses.
Der Künstler hat sein neuestes Werk bis zur Eröffnung verhüllt.
The artist has kept his latest work veiled until the opening.
You can tell whether the literal or figurative meaning is intended from the object. Concrete objects like 'Gesicht' (face) or 'Statue' (statue) point to the literal meaning, while abstract objects like 'Absichten' (intentions) or 'Wahrheit' (truth) point to the figurative one.
Dichter Nebel verhüllte die Landschaft.
Thick fog veiled the landscape.
In the literal meaning, the preposition 'mit' (with) and the dative are often used to indicate what something is covered with.
Die Braut verhüllte ihr Gesicht mit einem Schleier.
The bride veiled her face with a veil.
In the figurative meaning, 'verhüllen' (to conceal) is often combined with abstract nouns such as 'Absichten' (intentions), 'Gefühle' (feelings), 'Wahrheit' (truth), or 'Pläne' (plans).
Er ist ein Meister darin, seine wahren Gefühle zu verhüllen.
He is a master at concealing his true feelings.
to hide / conceal
Both words can express that something is not visible. Verbergen is more general and can also mean hiding something in a place, whereas verhüllen emphasizes covering something completely with a material. Use verhüllen when there is visible covering; otherwise, verbergen is usually the better choice.
Der Künstler verhüllte die Statue vollständig mit einem Tuch.
The artist covered the statue completely with a cloth.
Der Künstler verbarg die Statue hinter einem Vorhang.
The artist hid the statue behind a curtain.
