Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| усміха́тися | usmixátysja | imperfective |
| усміхну́тися | usmixnútysja | perfective |
| посміха́тися | posmixátysja | imperfective |
| посміхну́тися | posmixnútysja | perfective |
The verb forms are used to describe the act of having a smile on one's face. You can use different forms depending on whether you are describing a continuous action or a single completed moment. For the noun 'a smile', the most common word is у́смішка.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on the aspect of the action: усміха́тися and посміха́тися are imperfective, describing an ongoing process or a habitual action. In contrast, усміхну́тися and посміхну́тися are perfective, describing a single, completed act of smiling.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb forms are imperfective (describing ongoing or repeated actions) or perfective (describing a completed action). The related nouns for 'a smile' are у́смішка and посмі́шка.
How do you pronounce it?
usmixátysja
Did you know?
- In Ukrainian culture, an excessive or unprompted smile from a stranger in a public setting was traditionally viewed with suspicion rather than friendliness, a remnant of historical social norms.
- The verb усміха́тися is reflexive, meaning it literally translates to 'to smile oneself'.
- In Ukrainian, the verb усміха́тися contains the root сміх, which means 'laughter'. This connects the act of smiling directly to the concept of laughing in the language's structure.
Examples in context
- Щиро дякую за вашу усмішку.Thank you sincerely for your smile.
- Ваша посмішка розсіює темряву.Your smile dispels the darkness.
- Вона постійно усміхається.She always smiles.
- Іван – відомий посміхун.Ivan is a famous smiler.
Example conversation
Serhii and Olena are taking photos together.
- Сергій SerhiiОлено, будь ласка, усміха́йся на фото!Oleno, bud laska, usmikhaisya na foto!Olena, please smile for the photo!
- Олена OlenaЯ вже усміха́юся, Сергію.Ya vzhe usmikhayusya, Serhiyu.I am already smiling, Serhii.
- Сергій SerhiiЦе виглядає дуже природно.Tse vyhliadayut duzhe pryrodno.It looks very natural.
- Олена OlenaТепер твоя черга усміха́тися.Teper tvoya cherha usmikhatysia.Now it is your turn to smile.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smile” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
