The Present Tense of Sonreír is used to describe actions happening right now or habitual actions. For example, Ella sonríe cuando ve a su amigo. (She smiles when she sees her friend.)

Sonreír is an e to i stem-changing verb, meaning the e changes to i in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Sonreír (to smile) in the Present Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

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

To smile: The most common meaning is to form a facial expression with an upward curve of the lips, often expressing pleasure, amusement or happiness. For example, Ella sonríe cuando ve a su novio. (She smiles when she sees her boyfriend.)

To be favorable or promising: It can also mean that a situation or circumstance looks positive or encouraging. For example, El futuro le sonríe a los estudiantes dedicados. (The future smiles upon dedicated students.)

To smirk or grin mischievously: In some contexts, it can imply a sly, mocking or mischievous smile. For example, El niño sonríe cuando hace una travesura. (The child smirks when he plays a prank.)

To be lucky or fortunate (colloquial): In informal speech, it can mean to be lucky or fortunate in a particular situation. For example, ¡Sonríes hoy porque te tocó el premio! (You’re smiling today because you won the prize!)

Examples

Examples of Sonreír in the Present Tense

Cuando me despierto por la mañana, sonrío y me siento feliz de comenzar un nuevo día. (When I wake up in the morning, I smile and feel happy to start a new day.)

Mi hermana sonríe mucho cuando está contenta. (My sister smiles a lot when she’s happy.)

El bebé sonríe cada vez que ve a su mamá. (The baby smiles every time he sees his mom.)

Sonreímos cuando recibimos buenas noticias. (We smile when we receive good news.)

Aunque estoy cansado, sonrío y trato de mantener una actitud positiva. (Even though I’m tired, I smile and try to keep a positive attitude.)

En la fiesta, todos sonríen y se divierten. (At the party, everyone smiles and has fun.)

Cuando veo a mi mejor amigo, sonrío de oreja a oreja. (When I see my best friend, I smile from ear to ear.)

Los niños sonríen mientras juegan en el parque. (The children smile while playing at the park.)

En la reunión de trabajo, mi jefe sonríe y nos felicita por nuestro buen desempeño. (At the work meeting, my boss smiles and congratulates us for our good performance.)

Cuando me siento estresado, trato de sonreír y pensar en cosas positivas. (When I feel stressed, I try to smile and think about positive things.)

Los turistas sonríen mientras disfrutan de las vistas de la ciudad. (The tourists smile while enjoying the city views.)

Aunque el día está nublado, sonrío y trato de ver el lado positivo. (Even though the day is cloudy, I smile and try to see the positive side.)

En la boda, la novia sonríe radiante mientras camina por el pasillo. (At the wedding, the bride smiles radiantly as she walks down the aisle.)

Cuando me encuentro con un viejo amigo, sonreímos y nos abrazamos. (When I meet an old friend, we smile and hug each other.)

En la clase de yoga, el instructor sonríe y nos anima a relajarnos. (In the yoga class, the instructor smiles and encourages us to relax.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Sonreír (to smile) 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.