no/poco/nada hondo/profundo
The English word "shallow" can be expressed in Spanish using no/poco/nada hondo/profundo. Wiktionary also lists playo and somero.
Meaning: extending not far downward (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| no/poco/nada hondo/profundo | |
| playo | /ˈplaʝo/ |
| somero | /soˈmeɾo/ |
To describe something that does not extend far downward, Spanish speakers frequently use the phrase poco profundo to express that something is shallow in everyday conversation. You can also use no/poco/nada hondo/profundo.
Which one should you use?
The term somero is used to describe something shallow, such as a somero análisis (a shallow analysis). The word playo is also available for this meaning.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Somero is a more formal or literary term.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word playo (shallow) shares a linguistic root with playa (beach), as beaches are naturally shallow areas of water.
Did you know?
- The word somero actually has roots in the Latin word summus, which means 'highest' or 'topmost', rather than focusing on the bottom of something.
- While profundo is the standard word for 'deep', the word hondo is frequently used as a synonym for depth in many Spanish-speaking regions.
Examples in context
- El río es poco profundoThe river is shallow.
- Esa persona es muy superficialThat person is very shallow.
- La piscina es poco profunda, ten cuidado al saltarThe pool is shallow, be careful when jumping.
- No me gusta su personalidad, es bastante superficialI don't like their personality, they are quite shallow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shallow” translations and entries playo, somero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries playo, somero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
