مُسْکُرَانا
muskurānā
The English verb 'smile' is expressed in Urdu as مُسْکُرَانا (muskurānā). Wiktionary also lists مُسْکانا (muskānā).
Meaning: to have a smile on one's face (verb)
Ways to say it
| Urdu | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مُسْکُرَانا | muskurānā |
| مُسْکانا | muskānā |
The primary verb to express the action of having a smile on one's face is مُسْکُرَانا. There are related nouns used to describe a happy facial expression made with the mouth that does not produce sound, such as مُسْکُرَاہَٹ, تَبَسُّم and مُسْکان.
Which one should you use?
The form مُسْکُرَانا is the standard and more common way to say 'to smile' than the shortened form مُسْکانا.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of the verb مُسْکُرَانا is مُسْکُرَایا.
How do you pronounce it?
muskurānā
Did you know?
- If you want to say someone is 'grinning' or has a wide, sometimes cheeky smile, Urdu speakers might use expressions related to 'teeth showing' rather than just the verb مُسْکُرَانا.
- In traditional Urdu etiquette, a modest smile is often preferred over loud laughter in formal settings to maintain 'adab' or social decorum.
- In certain Urdu literary contexts, a 'smile' can be described as 'a flower blooming on the face', linking the facial expression to the beauty of nature.
Examples in context
- کبھی کبھی صرف مُسْکُرَانا ہی کافی ہوتا ہے۔Kabhi kabhi sirf muskurana hi kafi hota hai.Sometimes, just to smile is enough.
Example conversation
Zainab and Ali are taking a photo together.
- علی Aliزینب، تصویر کے لیے مُسْکُرَانا!Zainab, tasveer ke liye muskurana!Zainab, smile for the picture!
- زینب Zainabمیں مُسْکُرَانے کی کوشش کر رہی ہوں۔Mein muskurane ki koshish kar rahi hoon.I am trying to smile.
- علی Aliآپ بہت پیاری لگ رہی ہیں۔Aap bohat pyari lag rahi hain.You are looking very lovely.
- زینب Zainabشکریہ، علی!Shukriya, Ali!Thank you, Ali!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smile” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
