A close-up view of a person's mouth and lower face, clearly displaying a wide, cheerful smile with white teeth.

sonrisa

son-REE-sah

nounfA1

smile?facial expression of happiness or amusement

Also:grin?a wide, often broad smile

📝 In Action

Su sonrisa iluminó toda la habitación.

Her smile lit up the whole room.

Siempre me da una gran sonrisa cuando me ve.

She always gives me a big smile when she sees me.

Vi una sonrisa pícara en su rostro.

I saw a mischievous smile on his face.

Word Connections

Synonyms

risa (laughter)
carcajada (guffaw)

Antonyms

llanto (crying)
ceño fruncido (frown)

Common Collocations

una sonrisa amplia – a wide smile
una sonrisa forzada – a forced smile
dibujar una sonrisa – to draw a smile (to smile)

Idioms & Expressions

con una sonrisa de oreja a oreja – with a huge, ear-to-ear smile

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Reminder

Even though it ends in '-a', 'sonrisa' is a feminine noun, so you must use feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., 'la sonrisa', 'una sonrisa').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Noun and Verb

Mistake: "Using *sonreír* (the verb 'to smile') when you need the noun: 'Ella tiene un *sonreír* bonito.'"

Correction: Use the noun: 'Ella tiene una *sonrisa* bonita.' (She has a beautiful smile.)

⭐ Usage Tips

The action of smiling

To talk about the action, use the related verb: sonreír. Example: 'Ella sonríe mucho.' (She smiles a lot.)

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sonrisa

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses the noun 'sonrisa'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

sonreír(to smile) - verb

risa(laughter) - noun

risueño(smiling / cheerful) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'sonrisa' and 'risa'?

'Sonrisa' is a facial expression—a smile. 'Risa' is the sound—laughter. A 'sonrisa' is silent, while 'risa' is audible.

How do I talk about smiling in the past tense?

You need to use the verb *sonreír*. For example, 'Ayer sonreí mucho' (Yesterday I smiled a lot). 'Sonrisa' is only the noun.