The simple present tense of reír is used to express actions happening now or facts that are currently true. For example, Ella ríe mucho con sus amigos. (She laughs a lot with her friends.)

Reír is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow the typical patterns of regular verbs. You’ll need to memorize its unique set of conjugations in the present tense.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Reír (to laugh) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

Reír generally means to laugh, but has several different meanings in the Present Tense, some of which might surprise you.

To laugh: This is the most common meaning, referring to the action of laughing out loud. For example, Yo me río cuando veo una buena comedia. (I laugh when I see a good comedy.)

To mock or make fun of: It can also mean to mock or make fun of someone or something in a derisive way. For example, Ellos se ríen de mi acento extranjero. (They laugh at my foreign accent.)

To be skeptical or dismissive: In some contexts, it can express skepticism or dismissiveness towards an idea or statement. For example, Ella se ríe de la idea de casarse tan joven. (She laughs at the idea of getting married so young.)

To enjoy or appreciate (colloquial): In a more colloquial sense, it can mean to enjoy or appreciate something, often with a sense of amusement or delight. For example, Me río con las bromas de mi amigo. (I enjoy my friend’s jokes.)

To not take seriously (rude): In a rude or dismissive context, it can mean to not take something or someone seriously, often with a sense of mockery or disdain. For example, Él se ríe de mis sueños de ser artista. (He laughs at my dreams of becoming an artist.)

Examples

Examples of Reír in the Present Tense

Cuando me cuentas un chiste, río a carcajadas. (When you tell me a joke, I laugh out loud.)

Mis amigos y yo reímos mucho en las fiestas. (My friends and I laugh a lot at parties.)

¿Por qué ríes tanto? Me estás contagiando tu risa. (Why are you laughing so much? Your laughter is contagious.)

Los payasos ríen y hacen reír a los niños en el circo. (The clowns laugh and make the children laugh at the circus.)

Cuando veo esa película cómica, no puedo evitar reír. (When I watch that comedy movie, I can’t help but laugh.)

En la oficina, reímos de las bromas de nuestro compañero gracioso. (At the office, we laugh at our funny coworker’s jokes.)

Aunque la situación es difícil, ríe para mantener el ánimo. (Even though the situation is tough, she laughs to keep her spirits up.)

Los comediantes ríen y hacen reír al público en el show de stand-up. (The comedians laugh and make the audience laugh at the stand-up show.)

Cuando estoy estresado, río para liberar tensión. (When I’m stressed, I laugh to release tension.)

En la reunión familiar, todos ríen recordando viejas anécdotas. (At the family gathering, everyone laughs remembering old stories.)

Los niños ríen sin parar cuando juegan en el parque. (The kids laugh nonstop when they play at the park.)

Aunque la broma es un poco pesada, ríes para no ofender a tu amigo. (Even though the joke is a bit heavy, you laugh so you don’t offend your friend.)

En el bar después del trabajo, los compañeros ríen y se relajan. (At the bar after work, coworkers laugh and unwind.)

Cuando veo esa serie cómica, no puedo evitar reír a carcajadas. (When I watch that comedy show, I can’t help but laugh out loud.)

Los youtubers ríen y hacen reír a sus seguidores con sus videos divertidos. (The YouTubers laugh and make their followers laugh with their funny videos.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Reír (to laugh) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Present tense is also known as the Simple Present, Present Simple, Present Tense, or Present Indicative in English, and as Presente de Indicativo, Presente Simple, Tiempo Presente, or Indicativo Presente in Spanish.