Kätkeb

Kätkeb is an Estonian verb meaning to hide or conceal, and in a broader sense to contain within or to imply something that is not immediately visible. It is used for both physical concealment and for keeping information or meanings out of view.

The form kätkeb is the present tense, third person singular of the infinitive kätkima. The verb is transitive and commonly takes a direct object in the partitive case, such as midagi (something), teavet (information), or saladust (a secret). It can be used in literal contexts, for example to hide an object, and in figurative contexts, such as hiding intentions or concealing a fact.

Examples include: Ta kätkeb midagi. (He hides something.) See raamat kätkeb teavet. (This book contains information.) Ta püüab saladust kätkeda. (He tries to hide a secret.)

Usage notes: kätkeb is versatile and appears in both concrete and abstract senses. In many cases it overlaps with other Estonian verbs such as peita or varjata, which also mean to hide but may carry different nuances or emphasis. The choice between kätkeb and its synonyms often depends on the speaker’s sense of concealment, immediacy, or visibility.

See also: peita, varjata, kätkima.