frívolo

frivolous, flippant

adjective FREE-boh-loh Rare

Origin: From Latin frivolus (trifling, empty).

Also means

trivial, shallow

Usage Note

Frívolo describes a person or activity that lacks seriousness or depth. It often carries a mildly condescending tone (una conversación frívola, un personaje frívolo). The feminine is frívola, and both forms exist in adverbial use via frívolamente. It is a false cognate trap for English speakers: 'frivolous' in law means infundado (unfounded), not frívolo.

Examples

"No seas tan frívolo con este asunto."

Natural Translation

Don't be so flippant about this matter.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Spanish by topic

SpanishNow

Spanish Numbers 1-100: Count, Spell & Pronounce

Spanish numbers 1 to 100 are a system, not a list: three patterns build every number. Master the spelling, the accent rule, and how to say prices fast.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Por vs Para in Spanish: One Mental Model, No Acronyms

Por looks backward at cause and path; para looks forward at goal and destination. Master por vs para in Spanish with one mental model — no acronyms needed.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

Spanish Filler Words: 15 Ways to Sound Natural

Spanish filler words like pues, o sea, and vale make you sound natural, not robotic. Learn 15 muletillas sorted by job, by region, and when not to use them.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

SpanishNow

How to Tell Time in Spanish: A Beginner's Guide

Tell time in Spanish with one formula: es la una vs son las, y and menos for minutes, plus de la mañana, en punto, and 24-hour station times.

June 9, 2026 5 min read