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Conjugation Chart of “Sonreír” (to smile) in the Preterite (Past) Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | sonreí |
| Tú | sonreíste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | sonrió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | sonreímos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | sonrieron |
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Understanding the Preterite (Past) Tense of “Sonreír”
The preterite of sonreír is used to express a specific instance of smiling in the past. For example, you might say “She smiled when she saw her birthday cake,” indicating a single moment when the smile occurred.
This is a regular -ir verb in the preterite. Note that it maintains its written accent throughout most of its conjugations to indicate proper pronunciation.
How to Use Sonreír in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The preterite of sonreír expresses a completed action of smiling in the past.
To smile: Describes the act of smiling, for example Sonreí cuando la vi (I smiled when I saw her) or Me sonrió desde lejos (He/she smiled at me from afar).
To beam/grin: Used for expressing joy through smiling, for example Sonrió de oreja a oreja (He/she grinned from ear to ear).
Real Life Examples of Sonreír in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Sonreí al recibir la buena noticia. (I smiled upon receiving the good news.)
Sonreíste cuando te entregué el regalo. (You smiled when I gave you the gift.)
La novia sonrió al ver a su prometido. (The bride smiled when she saw her fiancé.)
Sonreímos durante toda la fiesta. (We smiled throughout the party.)
Los niños sonrieron al ver los juguetes. (The children smiled when they saw the toys.)
Sonreí por primera vez en días. (I smiled for the first time in days.)
Sonreíste ante la cámara. (You smiled at the camera.)
El bebé sonrió a su madre. (The baby smiled at their mother.)
Sonreímos al recordar los viejos tiempos. (We smiled remembering the old times.)
Los ganadores sonrieron en el podio. (The winners smiled on the podium.)
Sonreí al ver tu mensaje. (I smiled when I saw your message.)
Sonreíste después de ganar el partido. (You smiled after winning the game.)
La artista sonrió al público. (The artist smiled at the audience.)
Sonreímos en la foto familiar. (We smiled in the family photo.)
Los graduados sonrieron con orgullo. (The graduates smiled with pride.)
Conjugation Chart with English Translations
Conjugations of Sonreír (to smile) in the Preterite (Past) Tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo sonreí | I smiled |
| Tú sonreíste | You smiled |
| Él / Ella / Usted sonrió | He / She / You smiled |
| Nosotros / Nosotras sonreímos | We smiled |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes sonrieron | They / You all smiled |
This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.