superar
verbCEFR B1
What does “superar” mean in English?
1.to overcome, to get through
to overcome, to get through (a difficulty, obstacle, or setback)
2.to surpass, to exceed
to surpass, to exceed (a limit, record, or expectation)
Example sentences
A pesar de que habíamos perdido el vuelo y llevábamos horas en el aeropuerto, conseguimos superar la situación gracias a la ayuda de una azafata que nos consiguió plazas en un vuelo de última hora.
Despite having missed the flight and being at the airport for hours, we managed to overcome the situation thanks to the help of a flight attendant who got us seats on a last-minute flight.
Lo más difícil de superar no fue el retraso en sí, sino la barrera del idioma: nadie en la aerolínea hablaba inglés y nosotros no sabíamos nada de portugués.
The hardest thing to overcome was not the delay itself, but the language barrier: nobody at the airline spoke English and we knew nothing of Portuguese.
How to use it
Superar means 'to overcome', 'to surpass', or 'to get through (a difficulty)'. In travel contexts the primary sense is overcoming a problem or obstacle: 'superar los obstáculos del viaje'. It can also mean 'to exceed' a threshold (superar el límite de peso, superar el presupuesto). It is transitive and regular. B1 learners should note the contrast with resolver (to solve/resolve — typically used for problems that have a solution) and aguantar (to put up with — more passive, less triumphant than superar).
Common mistake
Do not confuse superar (overcome/surpass) with sobrepasar (to exceed a quantity). Sobrepasar is always quantitative; superar covers both quantitative excess and the non-quantitative 'overcome'. Also: superar un examen means 'to pass an exam' in academic contexts — a distinct third sense.