French · Everyday Verbs
"to smile" in French: sourire
sourire
To smile in French is sourire. Je souris, tu souris, elle sourit. Un sourire is also the noun: a smile.
Photo moment
Souris un peu, on prend la photo.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce sourire
Say it
soo-REER
/su.ʁiʁ/
Sourire: soo-REER. The ou is like oo in food; final re is soft. Sourit sounds like soo-REE.
"to smile" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| sourire | to smile Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| je souris | I smile Present; same sound as tu souris. | Present; same sound as tu souris. |
| elle sourit | she smiles Third person. | Third person. |
| un sourire | a smile Noun form. | Noun form. |
| sourire aux éclats | to smile broadly / beam Warm emphasis. | Warm emphasis. |
How to use sourire in real life
- 1Photo moment
Souris un peu, on prend la photo.
Smile a bit—we're taking the picture.
Imperative souris.
- 2Meeting someone kind
Elle sourit toujours en accueillant les clients.
She always smiles when welcoming customers.
Sourit = he/she smiles.
- 3Nervous presentation
Je souris pour cacher mon stress.
I smile to hide my stress.
Je souris.
Mistakes English speakers make with sourire
Incorrect: Elle source souvent.
Correct: Elle sourit souvent.
Source is unrelated; use sourit for she smiles.
Incorrect: Je suis sourd de joie.
Correct: Je souris de joie.
Sourd means deaf; use sourire/souris.
Good to know
A polite sourire softens service encounters. In photos, people still say souriez ! (plural/formal). The verb and the noun share spelling: son sourire m'a touché.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Street photographer tip
ChatPal
Si tu souris, la photo sera plus douce.
If you smile, the photo will be softer.
You
D'accord… je souris. C'est bon ?
Okay… I'm smiling. Is that good?
ChatPal
Parfait. Elle sourit aussi, regarde.
Perfect. She's smiling too—look.
You
On en reprend une dernière.
Let's take one last one.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to smile" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to smile" in French
How do you say to smile in French?
Sourire.
How do you say I smile?
Je souris.
How do you say she smiles?
Elle sourit.
How do you pronounce sourire?
soo-REER.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
Keep reading
- Ordering Food in French: Essential Phrases for 2026Ordering food in french - Learn how to confidently order food in French with real-life phrases and tips for 2026 travelers
- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
