riendo
“riendo” means “laughing” in Spanish (as in 'He is laughing').
laughing
Also: giggling, chortling
📝 In Action
Mi bebé estaba riendo a carcajadas con el perro.
A1My baby was laughing loudly with the dog.
Ella pasó toda la película riendo.
A2She spent the whole movie laughing.
Lo encontré riendo de un chiste que había leído.
B1I found him laughing at a joke he had read.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: riendo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses the gerund 'riendo' to form a continuous action?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'reír' comes from the Latin word *ridere*, meaning 'to laugh.' The Spanish form kept the core sound but evolved the ending. The gerund form 'riendo' follows the standard pattern for '-ir' verbs, but incorporates the characteristic stem change.
First recorded: 10th or 11th century (as *rider* or *reír*)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it 'riendo' and not '*reiendo*'?
The verb 'reír' is irregular and changes its stem vowel 'e' to an 'i' when followed by certain vowels, including the '-iendo' ending. This is a common pattern for specific '-ir' verbs like 'pedir' (pido, pidiendo).
What is the difference between 'riendo' and 'sonriendo'?
'Riendo' means 'laughing' (making a sound), while 'sonriendo' means 'smiling' (a silent facial expression). Both are gerunds used to describe continuous actions.