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"Sonriendo" is a form of "sonreír", an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to smile". "Sonriente" is an adjective which is often translated as "smiling". Learn more about the difference between "sonriendo" and "sonriente" below.
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.).
sonriente(
sohn
-
rryehn
-
teh
)An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
1. (happy)
a. smiling (face or eyes)
"Encantado de conocerte", dijo Miguel con la cara sonriente."Nice to meet you," said Miguel with a smiling face.
Las paredes de la sala de espera en la clínica dental están repletas de fotos de niños sonrientes.The walls of the waiting room at the dental clinic are filled with pictures of smiling kids.
