Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to smile" in Italian: sorridere
sorridere
To smile in Italian is sorridere (sor-REE-deh-reh). Everyday forms: io sorrido, tu sorridi, lui/lei sorride. For photos people say sorridi! Prefer sorrido/sorride over the noun il sorriso when practicing the verb.
Selfie cue
Guarda l'obiettivo e sorridi!Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce sorridere
Say it
sor-REE-deh-reh
/sorˈri.de.re/
Sorridere: sor-REE-deh-reh. Stress on REE. Double r lightly rolled. Sorrido is sor-REE-doh.
"to smile" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| sorridere | to smile Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| sorrido / sorridi / sorride | I smile / you smile / he-she smiles Present singular. | Present singular. |
| sorridi! | smile! Photo cue. | Photo cue. |
| ho sorriso | I smiled Passato prossimo; participle sorriso. | Passato prossimo; participle sorriso. |
How to use sorridere in real life
- 1Selfie cue
Guarda l'obiettivo e sorridi!
Look at the lens and smile!
Imperative sorridi.
- 2Kind stranger
Quando sorride, tutta la stanza si alleggerisce.
When she smiles, the whole room lightens.
Lei sorride.
- 3After good news
Sorrido ancora per quel messaggio.
I'm still smiling because of that message.
Io sorrido.
Mistakes English speakers make with sorridere
Incorrect: Io sorridere sempre.
Correct: Sorrido sempre.
Conjugate: io sorrido, not io sorridere.
Incorrect: Lei è sorridente nella foto (as the verb).
Correct: Lei sorride nella foto.
Sorridente is an adjective; for the verb use sorride.
Good to know
Italians cue photos with sorridi! or un sorriso, per favore. A warm smile opens service encounters; forcing a huge grin for every selfie is less common than a natural sorride.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Taking a group photo
ChatPal
Uno, due… sorridi!
One, two… smile!
You
Aspetta, non sorrido bene con il sole negli occhi.
Wait, I don't smile well with the sun in my eyes.
ChatPal
Ok, gira un po'. Ora sorride anche Marco.
Ok, turn a bit. Now Marco is smiling too.
You
Perfetto, scatta pure.
Perfect, go ahead and shoot.
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 Italian
How do you say to smile?
Sorridere.
I smile?
Sorrido.
Smile! for a photo?
Sorridi!
Does sorriso count?
Ho sorriso (I smiled) uses the participle; il sorriso as a noun is different—prefer sorrido/sorride for the verb.
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
- How to Learn Italian Fast and Speak with ConfidenceLearn how to learn Italian with a clear roadmap, speaking-first tactics and daily habits that turn basics into real conversation confidence.
- Translate Hello in Italian with ConfidenceLearn how to translate hello in Italian with context, pronunciation, and practice prompts. Master ciao, buongiorno, buonasera, and salve for real conversations.
