sonreír
verbCEFR B1
What does “sonreír” mean in English?
to smile
to smile (intransitive; stem-changing e→i; sonreír a alguien = smile at someone; la sonrisa = the smile)
Example sentences
Aunque estaba nerviosa, intentó sonreír con naturalidad durante toda la entrevista para causar una buena impresión.
Although she was nervous, she tried to smile naturally throughout the interview to make a good impression.
Cuando le dijeron que había aprobado el examen, sonrió y se le llenaron los ojos de lágrimas de alegría.
When they told her she had passed the exam, she smiled and her eyes filled with tears of joy.
Me gusta la gente que sonríe aunque las cosas no vayan bien; es una señal de fuerza, no de ingenuidad.
I like people who smile even when things aren't going well; it's a sign of strength, not naivety.
How to use it
Sonreír means 'to smile'. It is an irregular verb of the reír family: the stem changes e → i in the present (sonrío, sonríes, sonríe, sonreímos, sonreís, sonríen) and the gerund is sonriendo. It is intransitive — you sonreír (smile) at someone (sonreír a alguien) but the person does not take a direct object. The noun is la sonrisa (smile). Do not confuse with reírse (to laugh) — sonreír is a softer, quieter expression. In writing, sonreír is used to portray character reactions and social cues at B1.
Common mistake
Sonreír (smile) vs reírse (laugh) — these are distinct. Smile does not mean laugh. The irregular form: sonrío not *sonreo; gerund sonriendo not *sonreendo. Sonreír is intransitive — you cannot *sonreírle a alguien with a direct object; use a + indirect.