Describe physical surfaces and ideas that lack depth.

The idea

Superficial applies to either gender in the singular; superficiales is the plural. It can mean on the surface or lacking depth.

Examples

  • La herida es superficial y ya no sangra.The wound is superficial and is no longer bleeding.
  • La lluvia dejó marcas superficiales en la madera.The rain left superficial marks on the wood.
  • Su análisis del problema fue demasiado superficial.Their analysis of the problem was too superficial.
  • No quiero una conversación superficial sobre el libro.I do not want a superficial conversation about the book.
  • El equipo hizo una limpieza superficial antes de pintar.The team did a surface clean before painting.
  • Esas críticas superficiales no explican qué debemos cambiar.Those superficial criticisms do not explain what we should change.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Spanish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not add an ending in -a for a feminine noun: use superficial.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct form: El daño es ___. (superficial / superficiales)

    Show answer or example answer

    superficial

    superficial matches one instance of damage.

  2. Choose the correct form: Las observaciones son ___. (superficial / superficiales)

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    superficiales

    superficiales matches several observations.

  3. Choose the correct form: La respuesta no profundiza; es ___. (superficial / profundo)

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    superficial

    superficial fits an answer that does not explore the subject deeply.

Use it today

Write an original sentence about a surface or an idea.