Reír is the Spanish verb for "to laugh," expressing joy and amusement. It is a stem-changing verb with some irregular forms, mostly used for positive emotions.
- Meaning: to laugh
- Verb type: -ir verb with stem changes (re-í-)
- Usage: Expresses laughter and amusement
- Related noun: la risa (laughter)
'Reír' means 'to laugh' in Spanish.
'Reír' is not fully regular; it has stem changes in some forms.
Conjugation Overview
Reír has a unique conjugation with an accented "í" in most forms. Its stem is "reí-" with some variations for moods and tenses.
| Tense | Example (yo) | Stem/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Present | río | reí+ (yo drops í: río) |
| Preterite | reí | reí+ (regular endings) |
| Imperfect | reía | reí+ (regular -ir) |
| Future | reiré | reír+ (classic endings) |
| Conditional | reiría | reír+ |
| Subj. Present | ría | reí- (drop 'e', keep í) |
The correct form is 'río'.
No, 'río' drops the accent in the present tense 'yo' form.
Present Tense
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | río | Accent drops in "yo" |
| Tú | ríes | Accent stays |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | ríe | |
| Nosotros | reímos | Accent returns |
| Vosotros | reís | Accent |
| Ellos/Uds. | ríen |
Reír is mainly used when someone actually laughs or when describing humorous situations.
- Use reír when people laugh spontaneously.
- The stem always carries an accented "í," except in "yo" present form (río).
Correct forms include 'río', 'ríes', 'ríen'...
'Reír' is used when talking about laughing.
Preterite Tense
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | reí | Accent on 'i' |
| Tú | reíste | |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | rió | Accent on 'o' |
| Nosotros | reímos | |
| Vosotros | reísteis | |
| Ellos/Uds. | rieron |
Use preterite for completed laughter moments in the past.
- Preterite shows laughter as a finished action.
- Accent marks are crucial in correct conjugation.
'reí' is the correct preterite 'yo' form.
Use preterite when talking about laughing in a finished past moment.
Imperfect Tense
| Person | Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | reía | |
| Tú | reías | |
| Él/Ella/Ud. | reía | |
| Nosotros | reíamos | |
| Vosotros | reíais | |
| Ellos/Uds. | reían |
Use imperfect for repeated or ongoing laughter in the past, or for setting a scene.
- Use the imperfect for habitual or background laughter.
- Recognize reír’s regular -ir pattern in imperfect (reía, reías…).
Imperfect is used for habitual or ongoing laughter in the past.
The correct form is 'reíamos' (with accent).
Some Example Sentences
- Present: Yo me río con tus chistes. (I laugh at your jokes.)
- Preterite: Nos reímos mucho ayer. (We laughed a lot yesterday.)
- Imperfect: Cuando éramos niños, reíamos siempre. (When we were kids, we always laughed.)
- Future: Ellos reirán en la fiesta. (They will laugh at the party.)
- Conditional: Me reiría si lo escuchara. (I would laugh if I heard it.)
- Subjunctive: Espero que te rías. (I hope you laugh.)
The correct form is 'reímos' with an accent.
'Nos reímos mucho' is correct for preterite.
Conclusion
Reír is the expressive verb for laughter, with a unique conjugation that highlights joy in every tense.
- Use reír to describe laughter, not just amusement.
- Remember the accented "í" and irregular forms for correct conjugation.
- Practice with real-life contexts to master its emotional nuance.