to scoff at
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to scoff at
To smile at someone or something in a slightly mocking or superior way because one does not take it seriously or considers it naive.
Seine Kollegen belächelten seinen Vorschlag, da sie ihn für unrealistisch hielten.
His colleagues scoffed at his proposal because they considered it unrealistic.
'Belächeln' is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'be-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'lächeln' (to smile) in all conjugated forms and sentence positions.
Er belächelte ihre naiven Vorstellungen von der Arbeitswelt.
He scoffed at her naive ideas about the working world.
The prefix 'be-' makes the verb transitive. You always 'belächelt' (scoff at) 'jemanden' (someone) or 'etwas' (something). The object is directly in the accusative, without a preposition such as 'über' (about/at).
Die erfahrenen Sportler belächelten den Ehrgeiz des Anfängers.
The experienced athletes scoffed at the beginner's ambition.
This verb does not describe a positive or friendly smile. It always expresses a certain superiority, mockery, or condescension. The person or thing is not being taken seriously.
Anstatt seinen Plan zu diskutieren, belächelten sie ihn nur.
Instead of discussing his plan, they only scoffed at him.
to smile
'über etwas lächeln' (to smile at something) and 'belächeln' are close to each other because both can show that you do not take something completely seriously. 'Über etwas lächeln' can be mild and does not necessarily have to seem hurtful. 'belächeln' is more clearly negative: you look down on someone or an idea and consider it naive or unimportant. The words can be confused because both involve a smile. If only a slight, quiet reaction is meant, 'über etwas lächeln' fits. If superiority or mockery is meant, 'belächeln' is more precise.
Zuerst belächeln viele seine Geschäftsidee, doch später wird sie erfolgreich.
At first, many people scoff at his business idea, but later it becomes successful.
Er lächelt über seine alten Urlaubspläne, weil sie viel zu teuer waren.
He smiles at his old vacation plans because they were far too expensive.