śmiać

Meaning

1. to laugh (to show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth)
2. to laugh (to make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of)
3. to make light of, to slight

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɕmjat͡ɕ/

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *smьjàti (stem *směj-), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *smejetei, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)méy-e-ti, from *(s)mey- (“to laugh, be glad”). Cognate to Latvian smieties and Sanskrit स्मयते (smáyate).

Sentences

Ewa zaczęła się śmiać , niehisterycznie.

Ewa began to laugh, non-hysterically.

Emil zaczął się śmiać histerycznie, Janek zdziwił się , a Pola zbladła.

Emil began to laugh hysterically, Janek was surprised, and Pola turned pale.