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sonrisa

son-REE-sah/so̞nˈri.sa/

“sonrisa” means “smile” in Spanish (facial expression of happiness or amusement).

smile

Also: grin
NounfA1
General
A close-up view of a person's mouth and lower face, clearly displaying a wide, cheerful smile with white teeth.

📝 In Action

Su sonrisa iluminó toda la habitación.

A2

Her smile lit up the whole room.

Siempre me da una gran sonrisa cuando me ve.

A1

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

Vi una sonrisa pícara en su rostro.

B1

I saw a mischievous smile on his face.

Word Connections

Synonyms

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "sonrisa" in Spanish:

grin→

✏️ 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
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the Spanish verb *sonreír* (to smile). This verb itself has ancient roots, tracing back to the Latin word *subrīdēre*, which meant 'to laugh softly' or 'to laugh a little under one's breath.' The noun *sonrisa* was created directly from this verb.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: sorrisoItalian: sorriso

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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.