All About "O"

For the last few days, my Spanish Word of the Day has begun with the letter "O". A bit Odd, but "Oh well."

April 10th
oculto, adjective
hidden

We’ve already come across the verb ocultar referring to hiding or concealing things.

Nos han ocultado la verdad.They’ve concealed the truth from us.

Oculto, the related adjective, describes things which are hidden or concealed.
For instance, a news headline reads:Decomisan 300 kg de cocaína ocultos en cocos rumbo a España.300 kg of cocaine are seized, hidden in coconuts destined for Spain.

Oculto is often used with archivo, a data file on a computer:El sistema operativo no te deja ver los archivos ocultos.The operating system won’t let you see hidden files.

April 11tholfato, noun
(sense of) smell

El olfato is one of your basic senses, the sense of smell.El sentido del olfato está estrechamente relacionado con el sentido del gusto.
The sense of smell is closely linked to the sense of taste.In English, we talk about 'having a nose for something.'

Spanish uses a similar metaphor.Siempre ha tenido muy buen olfato para los negocios.He’s always had a good nose for business.

Olfatear derives from olfato, and refers to the action of smelling or sniffing something.Las burbujas permiten a algunos mamíferos olfatear bajo el agua.Bubbles make it possible for some mammals to smell underwater.
April 12th
olvidar, verb
to forget; to leave

Olvidar is the basic word for to forget. He olvidado su nombre. I’ve forgotten his name.

You put an infinitive after olvidar to talk about forgetting to do something. No olvides comprar pan. Don’t forget to buy bread.

And if you can’t forget someone, olvidar is the word you use. Nunca pude olvidarla. I could never forget her.

If you leave something somewhere through forgetfulness, olvidar is also the word you need. Olvidé el paraguas en la tienda. I left my umbrella in the shop.

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I find it a bit curious that when I looked up the translation for the word occult, it gave me oculto for Spanish. And the English translation of the word had some similarities to the Spanish, yet some obvious descriptions were left out of the Spanish translation.

occult [uh-kuhlt, ok-uhlt]
–adjective

1. of or pertaining to magic, astrology, or any system claiming use or knowledge of secret or supernatural powers or agencies.
2.beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding; mysterious.
3.secret; disclosed or communicated only to the initiated.
4.hidden from view.
5.(in early science)
a.not apparent on mere inspection but discoverable by experimentation.
b.of a nature not understood, as physical qualities.
c.dealing with such qualities; experimental: occult science.
6.Medicine/Medical. present in amounts too small to be visible: a chemical test to detect occult blood in the stool.

–noun
7.the supernatural or supernatural agencies and affairs considered as a whole (usually prec. by the).
8.occult studies or sciences (usually prec. by the).

–verb (used with object)
9.to block or shut off (an object) from view; hide.
10.Astronomy. to hide (a celestial body) by occultation.

–verb (used without object)
11.to become hidden or shut off from view.

What I also find interesting is that in the bible it reads: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. ~Ephesians 5:11-12

Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. ~Matthew10:26