bonita sonrisa
/bonita sonrisa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "nice smile" is translated into Spanish as bonita sonrisa.
This phrase is used as a compliment to tell someone that their smile looks attractive. You can also use sonrisa hermosa to mean a "gorgeous smile". Placing the adjective after the noun like this emphasizes the quality of the smile and can sound more poetic or intense.
Which one should you use?
While bonita sonrisa is a standard way to say "nice smile", linda sonrisa is a very common, slightly more informal alternative used to mean the same thing. For a more intense and formal way to say "beautiful smile", you can use bella sonrisa.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, Qué bonita / hermosa sonrisa is commonly used to express admiration for a smile. In certain Latin American countries, Sonrisa radiante is a popular way to compliment someone's smile.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing someone's smile in a sentence, the indefinite article una (a) is typically used before the phrase, such as in una bonita sonrisa.
How do you pronounce it?
/bonita sonrisa/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word sonrisa comes from the Latin subrīsa, where the prefix sub- means 'under'. This implies that a smile was originally conceived as a 'hidden' or 'understated' laugh.
- While sonrisa is the standard noun, the word risa refers to the act of laughing. If you say someone has a 'good laugh', you would use buena risa instead of using the word for smile.
Examples in context
- Susie tiene una bonita sonrisa.Susie has a nice smile.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use bonita sonrisa in a sentence.Tatoeba #754026 by Shishir, translation #52384 by CN
- Ella tiene una bonita sonrisa cuando ríe.She has a nice smile when she laughs.
Example conversation
Alejandro is complimenting María during a casual coffee date.
- AlejandroMaría, tienes una bonita sonrisa.María, you have a nice smile.
- María¡Muchas gracias, Alejandro! Qué amable.Thank you so much, Alejandro! How kind.
- AlejandroEs verdad, me gusta mucho.It's true, I like it a lot.
- MaríaEres muy dulce.You are very sweet.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sonrisa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
