How do you say that you are doing a “surface-level” study of something?

Question

Example sentence: I did a surface-level study of German grammar.

This would mean that I didn't go too deep in my study of German grammar; I stayed at the surface level and got just a basic overview.

My guesses would be somehow joining two words: surfacnivela, or surfaconivela, or surfaco-nivela. I can't find any word like this in the dictionary and I'm not sure about all the rules regarding the joining of two words.

Or, I can use the word malprofunda. But, I'm not sure if that word conveys the same meaning as surface-level does in English.

My attempts:

1) Mi faris malprofundan studon de Germana gramatiko.

2) Mi nur malprofunde studis la Germanan gramatikon.

How should I say this?

Answer 1

My suggestions would be sendetala or unua or prepara.

• Mi faris sendetalan studon de la germana gramatiko.

I think surfaca would be understood. Otherwise fari superrigardon ("overview") or just studeton.

Malprofunda and supraĵa are fine but might sound self-condemnatory.

Answer 2

Your examples are pretty OK.

Another possibilities are (additionally to the answers from Andrew):

• Mi nur baznivele studis la germanan gramatikon
• Mi superrigarde studis la germanan gramatikon