dissimulais

Dissimulais is the first-person singular imperfect indicative form of the French verb dissimuler, meaning to conceal, hide, or feign. As a conjugated verb form, it is not a standalone word but part of the verb’s paradigm used to describe past ongoing or habitual concealment.

Grammatically, dissimuler belongs to the first conjugation. In the imperfect tense, the endings added to the stem dissimul- are -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Therefore, je dissimulais corresponds to “I was concealing” or “I used to conceal.” The form is commonly used in narrative and descriptive contexts to set background or describe ongoing actions in the past.

Usage and nuance, in context, typically center on concealment or deception, whether of feelings, intentions, or facts. While it can be neutral, the verb frequently carries a sense of pretense or strategic concealment, especially in literary or argumentative writing. It contrasts with the simple past passé composé or the literary passé simple in reporting discrete past actions; the imperfect emphasizes duration or repetition.

Example sentences:

- Je dissimulais mes véritables sentiments pour ne pas le blesser.

- Dans le récit, il dissimulait ses plans jusqu’au dernier moment.

Etymology: dissimuler comes from the prefix dis- (not, away) and simulare (to feign), from Latin simulare. Related forms include dissimule, dissimulé, and related verbs with similar senses of masking or pretending.