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superficial

/soo-pehr-fee-SYAL/

superficial

A close-up illustration of a small, light scratch on a person's forearm.

A superficial wound only affects the top layer of the skin.

superficial(adjective)

m/fB1

superficial

?

physical surfaces or wounds

Also:

shallow

?

not going deep into a surface

📝 In Action

El médico dijo que la herida es solo superficial.

B1

The doctor said the wound is only superficial.

Hicieron una limpieza superficial de la casa.

B1

They did a superficial cleaning of the house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • externo (external)
  • somero (shallow/brief)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • herida superficial – superficial wound
  • examen superficial – brief/surface-level exam

💡 Grammar Points

One Form for All

This word stays the same whether you are describing a masculine or feminine thing. You only change it to 'superficiales' if you are talking about more than one thing.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Don't use for water

Mistake: "El agua es superficial."

Correction: El agua es poco profunda.

⭐ Usage Tips

Medical context

In a hospital setting, this is the standard word to describe a cut that doesn't need stitches.

A person standing in a very shallow puddle that only covers their toes.

A shallow puddle represents something that lacks depth, like a superficial personality.

superficial(adjective)

m/fB2

shallow

?

referring to personality or depth of thought

Also:

frivolous

?

lacking serious purpose or value

📝 In Action

No seas tan superficial, lo importante es el interior.

B2

Don't be so shallow; what matters is what's inside.

Su análisis del problema fue muy superficial.

C1

His analysis of the problem was very superficial.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • frívolo (frivolous)
  • insustancial (insubstantial)

Antonyms

  • serio (serious)
  • detallado (detailed)

Common Collocations

  • persona superficial – shallow person
  • conocimiento superficial – surface-level knowledge

💡 Grammar Points

Using with 'Ser'

Use the verb 'ser' with this word when describing a person's character (e.g., 'Ella es superficial').

⭐ Usage Tips

Subtle Insult

Calling someone 'superficial' in Spanish is a common way to say they care too much about looks or money and not enough about feelings.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: superficial

Question 1 of 1

If someone gives a 'superficial' explanation of a crime, did they provide a lot of detail?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

superficie(surface) - noun
superficialidad(shallowness) - noun
superficialmente(superficially) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'superficial' a bad word to call someone?

Yes, usually. In a social context, it implies that the person is shallow and only cares about appearances.

Does it change for a girl?

No. Words ending in -l like 'superficial' are gender-neutral. You say 'el chico superficial' and 'la chica superficial'.