Smile – to make a happy, friendly, or amused expression by turning the corners of your mouth upward. It can also describe showing kindness, approval, or pleasure without using words.
Past and present participles:
|
Past participle |
Present participle |
|---|---|
|
smiled |
smiling |
Correct Pronunciation of “Smile”
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
Notice that the final e is silent – it is not pronounced separately. Instead, this silent e changes the vowel sound and makes the i long, creating the sound /aɪ/, just like in words such as “time” and “life.”
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Verb “Smile”: Conjugation Chart
The verb “smile” is a regular verb whose past tense is formed by adding –ed (smile → smiled). An important rule of spelling is that in the case of adding -ing, the last letter e gets omitted: smile → smiling.
Present, Past, and Future Tenses
|
Tense |
Structure |
Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple |
smile/smiles |
She
|
|
Past Simple |
smiled |
He
|
|
Future Simple |
will smile |
I’m sure they
|
|
Present Continuous |
am/is/are smiling |
The baby
|
|
Past Continuous |
was/were smiling |
We
|
|
Future Continuous |
will be smiling |
At this time tomorrow, she
|
Perfect and Continuous Forms
|
Tense |
Structure |
Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Perfect |
have/has smiled |
She
|
|
Past Perfect |
had smiled |
He
|
|
Future Perfect |
will have smiled |
By the end of the event, everyone
|
|
Present Perfect Continuous |
have/has been smiling |
I
|
|
Past Perfect Continuous |
had been smiling |
They
|
|
Future Perfect Continuous |
will have been smiling |
By midnight, she
|
Using “Smile” in a Sentence
In English, when “smile” is used as a verb, at is the most frequently employed preposition. One would say “smile at somebody” if they were smiling at someone else. It’s very natural-sounding in English.
Synonyms for “Smile”: Grin, Smirk, and More
Discover various synonymous expressions of the verb “smile” to make your English richer and more flexible.
|
Synonym |
Meaning |
Example of usage |
|---|---|---|
|
Grin |
a very wide smile that shows strong happiness or excitement |
He
|
|
Smirk |
a small, self-satisfied, or slightly arrogant smile |
She
|
|
Beam |
to smile brightly with obvious joy |
The children
|
|
Laugh |
to express amusement with sound, often together with smiling |
They
|
While “smile” is neutral and positive, words like “grin” and “smirk” often carry stronger emotional tones. Try to implement these words in your English, since they will boost your fluency.
Common Adjectives Used with “Smile”
A “smile” can express emotions without saying anything at all. The use of adjectives with a “smile” as a noun provides an indication of emotions, intentions, personalities, and unsaid expressions.
- bright smile
- warm smile
- fake smile
- shy smile
- gentle smile
- nervous smile
Translations of “Smile” in Other Languages
“Smile” is one of the most recognizable human facial expressions. Discover the variation of this verb in other popular languages.
| Language | Word for “Smile” |
|---|---|
Spanish
|
Sonreír |
French
|
Sourire |
German
|
Lächeln |
