How to Say "smile!" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “smile!” is “sonríe” — A1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
Para la foto, sonríe, por favor.
For the picture, smile, please.
No te preocupes, sonríe. Todo estará bien.
Don't worry, smile. Everything will be okay.
¡Sonríe! Es tu cumpleaños.
Smile! It's your birthday.
The 'Tú' Command
This 'sonríe' is the quick, informal way to tell one friend or family member to smile. Notice it looks exactly like the 'él/ella' present tense form!
Commands vs. Statements
If you want to give a formal command (to 'usted'), you must use 'sonría'. The tone and context tell you if 'sonríe' is a statement or a command.
Using the wrong command
Mistake: “Telling a group of friends 'sonreíd' (vosotros command) when you should use 'sonríe' (tú command).”
Correction: Remember 'sonríe' is only for one person you address informally ('tú'). For a group (in Latin America), use 'sonrían'.
Related Translations
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