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sonriente

son-re-EN-tesonˈrjente

“sonriente” means “smiling” in Spanish (having a smile on one's face).

smiling

Also: cheerful
A cheerful young person with a big, warm smile on their face.

📝 In Action

Mi abuela es una mujer muy sonriente.

A1

My grandmother is a very cheerful/smiling woman.

El niño nos miró con una cara sonriente.

A2

The boy looked at us with a smiling face.

A pesar del cansancio, ella siempre se mantiene sonriente ante los clientes.

B2

Despite the tiredness, she always remains smiling in front of the customers.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • risueño (cheerful/smiley)
  • alegre (happy)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • cara sonriente – smiling face
  • rostro sonriente – smiling countenance
  • siempre sonriente – always smiling

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sonriente" in Spanish:

cheerful→smiling→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: sonriente

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is correct for a group of women?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
sonreír(to smile) — Verb
sonrisa(smile) — Noun
risueño(smiley/cheerful) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Spanish verb 'sonreír' (to smile), which comes from the Latin 'subridere'. The 'sub-' means 'under' or 'slightly' and 'ridere' means 'to laugh.' So, it literally means to laugh a little bit.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: sorridenteFrench: souriant

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'sonriente' for objects?

Usually, it is used for people or personified things (like a 'smiling sun' in a drawing). For objects, we usually describe them as having a 'smiling face' (una cara sonriente).

Does 'sonriente' change for feminine nouns?

No. Adjectives that end in -e in Spanish are 'gender-neutral,' meaning they stay the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.

What is the difference between 'sonriente' and 'risueño'?

They are very similar. 'Sonriente' literally means someone is smiling right now or often. 'Risueño' leans more toward someone who is naturally prone to laughter and has a very bright, happy personality.