esconderlos

Esconderlos is the infinitive form of the Spanish verb esconder when combined with the clitic pronoun los, which functions as the direct object. The phrase means “to hide them,” with los referring to masculine plural objects that have been mentioned or are understood in context. In Spanish, pronoun clitics can attach to an infinitive, so combinations like esconderlos are common in constructions such as tener que esconderlos, ir a esconderlos, or para esconderlos.

Etymology and form: esconder comes from a Latin root related to hiding or concealing, and the direct object pronoun los attaches to the infinitive to yield esconderlos. The resulting form is used regardless of the gender of the objects, as long as they are masculine and plural.

Usage: esconderlos appears in sentences where the speaker intends to hide multiple masculine items. Examples include:

- Tengo que esconderlos antes de que lleguen.

- Vamos a esconderlos en el armario.

- Para esconderlos, necesitarás una caja grande.

The pronoun los agrees in gender and number with the referenced objects, and its position can vary: it can follow a conjugated verb (los escondo) or attach to an infinitive (esconderlos) when another verb phrase is present.

See also: other verb–pronoun combinations such as ocultarlos and esconderlos with different t-persons, as well as general notes on clitic pronouns in Spanish.

In summary, esconderlos is a standard grammatical construction used to express the act of hiding multiple masculine objects, formed by the verb esconder plus the direct object pronoun los.