grinsen
to grin
To smile broadly, often with visible teeth, usually in a mocking, mischievous, or self-satisfied way.
EXAMPLE
Als er den gelungenen Streich sah, musste er breit grinsen.
When he saw the successful prank, he had to grin broadly.
grinsen
to grin
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Meanings
Usage tips
Typical adverbs
The way someone grins is often described more precisely with adverbs. Typical combinations are 'breit grinsen' (to grin broadly), 'frech grinsen' (to grin cheekily), or 'hämisch grinsen' (to grin maliciously).
EXAMPLE
Er sah mich an und grinste breit.
He looked at me and grinned broadly.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'über das ganze Gesicht grinsen' (to grin from ear to ear) describes a particularly broad and open smile that expresses great joy or amusement.
EXAMPLE
Als sie die gute Nachricht hörte, grinste sie über das ganze Gesicht.
When she heard the good news, she grinned from ear to ear.
Fixed expression
The reflexive expression 'sich ins Fäustchen grinsen' means to be secretly pleased about something, often about someone else's misfortune.
EXAMPLE
Er grinste sich ins Fäustchen, als der Plan seines Gegners fehlschlug.
He grinned to himself when his opponent's plan failed.
Compare with
grinsen vs lächeln
to smile
Lächeln usually refers to a friendly or neutral facial expression. Grinsen is also a smile, but it is broader, often shows the teeth, and can appear mocking, mischievous, or self-satisfied. Lächeln fits a simple friendly reaction, while grinsen fits this more conspicuous effect.
grinsen
Als er seinen gelungenen Streich verrät, grinst er seinen Freund schelmisch an.
When he reveals his successful prank, he grins mischievously at his friend.
lächeln
Als sie das Geschenk öffnet, lächelt sie ihrem Freund freundlich zu.
When she opens the gift, she smiles warmly at her friend.
In real life
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