vs
QUICK ANSWER
"Se" is a form of "se", a pronoun which is often translated as "themselves". "Sonreír" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to smile". Learn more about the difference between "se" and "sonreír" below.
se(
seh
)A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun (e.g., she).
1. (reflexive)
2. (reciprocal)
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Se dice que ganó su fortuna jugando al póquer.People say he won his fortune playing poker.
Se habla español.Spanish is spoken here.
sonreír(
sohn
-
rreh
-
eer
)An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
a. to smile
Mi abuela siempre sonríe cuando nos cuenta historias de su niñez.My grandmother always smiles when she tell us stories about her childhood.
2. (to favor)
a. to smile on
Parece que la vida me sonríe: al fin he encontrado un trabajo donde me valoran de verdad.It seems that life smiles on me: I have finally found a job where I'm really valued.
sonreírse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
