Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Laugh in Spanish: Reír
Reír · verb · reh-EER
To laugh in Spanish is reír, most commonly used in its reflexive form reírse. The noun for laughter is risa, and a big belly laugh is called a carcajada.
reh-EER (two syllables, stress on the second). The reflexive form is reh-EER-seh.
Nos reímos tanto que nos dolía el estómago.
We laughed so much that our stomachs hurt.
laugh in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for laugh, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| reír | laugh | reh-EER | Default, widely understood |
| risa | laugh | noun form (the laugh / laughter) | |
| reírse | laugh | reflexive verb (to laugh) | |
| carcajada | laugh | a loud, hearty laugh |
How Native Speakers Use Reír
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Reflexive usage
Mi hermana se ríe de todo, hasta de sus propios chistes.
My sister laughs at everything, even her own jokes.
Reírse is the standard reflexive form used in everyday conversation.
Noun form
Su risa es tan contagiosa que todos terminamos riendo.
Her laugh is so contagious that we all ended up laughing.
Risa is the noun meaning laughter or a laugh.
Loud laughter
Soltó una carcajada que se escuchó en toda la oficina.
He let out a laugh so loud it was heard across the entire office.
Carcajada specifically describes a loud, unrestrained burst of laughter.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Reír
Forgetting the reflexive pronoun
Incorrect: Yo río mucho cuando veo esa película.
Correct: Yo me río mucho cuando veo esa película.
In modern Spanish, reírse (reflexive) is the natural way to say to laugh. Dropping the pronoun sounds archaic or overly literary.
Stem-change error
Incorrect: Ella se rié de las bromas.
Correct: Ella se ríe de las bromas.
Reír is an irregular verb. In the present tense, the stem changes to rí- for most forms: me río, te ríes, se ríe, se ríen. Note the accent on the í.
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Why word lists alone don't stick
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See Reír used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using reír in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Nos reímos tanto que nos dolía el estómago. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About laugh in Spanish
- What is the difference between reír and reírse?
- Both mean to laugh, but reírse (reflexive) is overwhelmingly preferred in everyday speech. Non-reflexive reír appears mainly in poetry, proverbs, and formal writing.
- How do you write laughter in Spanish text messages?
- Spanish speakers typically write jajaja (ha-ha-ha). The letter j in Spanish has the h sound, so jajaja is the equivalent of hahaha in English.
- What is the plural of carcajada?
- The plural is carcajadas. You might hear se partía de carcajadas, meaning he/she was splitting with laughter — a vivid way to describe uncontrollable laughing.