como

See also: Appendix:Variations of "como"

Asturian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Leonese commo, como, cuemo, from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkomo/ [ˈko.mo]
• Hyphenation: co‧mo

Verb

como

1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Alternative forms

• come
• comu (Eastern Asturias, Teberga)
• cumu (Western Asturias)
• cuemo (archaic)

Adverb

como

1. how
2. as

Conjunction

como

1. since, because

Galician

Etymology

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese como, from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkomo/ [ˈko.mʊ]
• Rhymes: -omo
• Hyphenation: co‧mo

Adverb

como

1. how
2. as

Conjunction

como

1. since, because

   Como che quero ben, dígoche non

   Because I really love you, I tell you no.

Verb

como

1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Further reading

• “como”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Interlingua

Etymology

From Catalan com, French comment, Italian come, Portuguese como, Romanian cum, Spanish cómo, descendants of Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.

Adverb

como (not comparable)

1. (interrogative) how

   Como interpreta Jamblicho iste function del anima?

   How does Iamblichus interpret this function of the soul?

Latin

Etymology 1

From con- +‎ emō. Compare with its uncontracted form coemō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkoː.moː/, [ˈkoːmoː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mo/, [ˈkɔːmo]

Verb

cōmō (present infinitive cōmere, perfect active cōmpsī, supine cōmptum); third conjugation

1. to bring together, form, frame, construct, arrange
2. (usually of hair) to take care of, care for; comb, dress; braid
3. (in general) to adorn, deck, dress, ornament

Conjugation

   Conjugation of cōmō (third conjugation)

indicative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	cōmō		cōmis		cōmit		cōmimus		cōmitis		cōmunt
	imperfect	cōmēbam		cōmēbās		cōmēbat		cōmēbāmus		cōmēbātis		cōmēbant
	future	cōmam		cōmēs		cōmet		cōmēmus		cōmētis		cōment
	perfect	cōmpsī		cōmpsistī		cōmpsit		cōmpsimus		cōmpsistis		cōmpsērunt, cōmpsēre
	pluperfect	cōmpseram		cōmpserās		cōmpserat		cōmpserāmus		cōmpserātis		cōmpserant
	future perfect	cōmpserō		cōmpseris		cōmpserit		cōmpserimus		cōmpseritis		cōmpserint
passive	present	cōmor		cōmeris, cōmere		cōmitur		cōmimur		cōmiminī		cōmuntur
	imperfect	cōmēbar		cōmēbāris, cōmēbāre		cōmēbātur		cōmēbāmur		cōmēbāminī		cōmēbantur
	future	cōmar		cōmēris, cōmēre		cōmētur		cōmēmur		cōmēminī		cōmentur
	perfect	cōmptus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	cōmptus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	cōmptus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	cōmam		cōmās		cōmat		cōmāmus		cōmātis		cōmant
	imperfect	cōmerem		cōmerēs		cōmeret		cōmerēmus		cōmerētis		cōmerent
	perfect	cōmpserim		cōmpserīs		cōmpserit		cōmpserīmus		cōmpserītis		cōmpserint
	pluperfect	cōmpsissem		cōmpsissēs		cōmpsisset		cōmpsissēmus		cōmpsissētis		cōmpsissent
passive	present	cōmar		cōmāris, cōmāre		cōmātur		cōmāmur		cōmāminī		cōmantur
	imperfect	cōmerer		cōmerēris, cōmerēre		cōmerētur		cōmerēmur		cōmerēminī		cōmerentur
	perfect	cōmptus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	cōmptus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular						plural
		first		second		third		first		second		third
active	present	—		cōme		—		—		cōmite		—
	future	—		cōmitō		cōmitō		—		cōmitōte		cōmuntō
passive	present	—		cōmere		—		—		cōmiminī		—
	future	—		cōmitor		cōmitor		—		—		cōmuntor
non-finite forms		infinitive						participle
		active			passive			active			passive
present		cōmere			cōmī			cōmēns			—
future		cōmptūrum esse			cōmptum īrī			cōmptūrus			cōmendus, cōmundus
perfect		cōmpsisse			cōmptum esse			—			cōmptus
future perfect		—			cōmptum fore			—			—
perfect potential		cōmptūrum fuisse			—			—			—
verbal nouns		gerund								supine
		genitive		dative		accusative		ablative		accusative		ablative
		cōmendī		cōmendō		cōmendum		cōmendō		cōmptum		cōmptū

Etymology 2

From quōmodo through consonant elision or some kind of metanalysis of the /d/ when the following /o/ elided in antevocalic position. Cf. the Romance reflexes compounded with et.

Securely attested from mid-1st c. CE onwards.

Alternative forms

• quomo (Late Latin)

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkoː.moː/, [ˈkoːmoː] or IPA^(key): /ˈkoː.mo/, [ˈkoːmɔ]
• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mo/, [ˈkɔmɔ]
• Note: the length of the final vowel is unattested. It most likely displayed the same vacillation as the other adverbs such as ergō and vērō during the post-Augustan period. Romance descendants show both open and closed first vowel.

Adverb

cōmō̆ (not comparable)

1. (non-literary) Alternative form of quōmodō̆ (“in what manner or way, how”)

Descendants

• see: quōmodo

References

• Daniela Urbanová (2016) “Alcune particolarità della comparazione (quomodo – sic, quemadmodum – sic, ita uti – sic) in latino volgare, con particolare attenzione alle defixiones”, in Graeco-Latina Brunensia‎^[1] (in Italian), number 2, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 329–343

Further reading

• “como”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “como”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• como in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “como”, in Richard Stillwell et al., editor (1976), The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press

Macanese

Etymology

From Portuguese como. The usage with assí is likely a calque of Cantonese 好似…咁.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɔ.mu/

Adverb

como

1. as, like

   Synonym: ramendâ

   vístido como dóci di mui ― very well-dressed (literally, “dressed like plum jam”)

   alegre como côpo-côpo na primavera na dia de sol ― happy as a butterfly on a sunny day in spring

   Êle vestí como padre assí.

   He dresses like a priest.

   Nôs nunca-sâm como acunga jovi-jóvi; nôs sâm chacha vêla-ia, sâm nunca?

   We are not like those youngsters; we are old ladies already, aren't we?

Usage notes

• como is not used to mean "how" in Macanese, with the exception of the fixed phrase como tá vai. That function is fulfilled by quelê-môdo or qui laia.

Old Galician-Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-

Proto-Indo-European *kʷos

Proto-Italic *kʷoi

Latin quei

Latin quī

Latin quō

Proto-Indo-European *med-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Italic *medos

Latin modus

Latin modō

Latin quōmodo

Latin cōmō̆

Old Galician-Portuguese como

From Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈko.mo/

Conjunction

como

1. how (the fact that; the way that)
   • a. 1284, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 159 (facsimile):

     Como ſanta maria fez deſcobrir hũa poſta de carne que furtaran a uũs romeus na uila de Rocamador.

     How Holy Mary caused to be found a piece of meat which was stolen from some pilgrims in the village of Rocamadour.

Descendants

• Fala: cómu, comu, cumu
• Galician: como, coma
• Portuguese: como

Portuguese

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-

Proto-Indo-European *kʷos

Proto-Italic *kʷoi

Latin quei

Latin quī

Latin quō

Proto-Indo-European *med-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Italic *medos

Latin modus

Latin modō

Latin quōmodo

Latin cōmō̆

Old Galician-Portuguese como

Portuguese como

From Old Galician-Portuguese como (“how; in what way”), from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkõ.mu/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkõ.mu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mo/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mu/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈku.mu/

• Hyphenation: co‧mo

Adverb

como (not comparable)

2. how (in what way, manner)

   Como (é que) se frita um ovo?

   How does one fry an egg?

4. why; how could (for what cause, reason, or purpose), when the action is considered reproachful

   Como (é que) fizeram isto?

   How could they do this?

6. such as; like; for example: introduces an example or list of examples

   Synonym: tais como

   Já visitei vários países, como a Holanda, a Ucrânia e a Nova Zelândia.

   I’ve been to various countries, such as the Netherlands, Ukraine and New Zealand.

8. like; just alike; similarly to

   (O) Teu vestido é vermelho como sangue.

   Your dress is red like blood.

10. how: indicates surprise, delight or other strong feelings

    Como é emocionante a história.

    How thrilling is the story.

Usage notes

When used as a modifier to indicate surprise, como precedes a clause, while que precedes an adjective.

• Que maravilhoso! ― How wonderful!
• Como é maravilhoso! ― How wonderful it is!

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:como.

Synonyms

• (for example): por exemplo, como por exemplo
• (in what way): de que modo/jeito/maneira
• (why): por que
• (modifier to indicate surprise, etc.): quão, que
• (just like): feito (informal), igual, tipo (informal)

Derived terms

• como por exemplo
• como assim?
• como não?!
• como quê

Conjunction

como

2. but also; as well as (introduces an exceptional characteristic)

   Ela não só leu o livro como escreveu uma crítica.

   She didn’t only read the book, but also wrote a review.

   Sou tão feio como burro.

   I am ugly as well as stupid.

4. like; as (in the same way that; according to what)

   Como podem conferir por si mesmos, o animal já estava morto.

   As you can check for yourselves, the animal was already dead.

   • 2003, J. K. Rowling, Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e a Ordem da Fênix, Rocco, page 538:

     Sinto muito ter de contradizê-la, Minerva, mas, como pode ver no meu bilhete, Harry tem obtido resultados muito fracos nas minhas aulas...

     I'm sorry to contradict you, Minerva, but, as you can see in my note, Harry has obtained very weak results in my classes...

6. (only in the main clause) as; because; since (introduces a reason or motive)

   Como choveu, ficamos/ficámos em casa.

   As it rained, we stayed at home.

8. how to; a way of

   O professor ensinou-me/me ensinou como fazer subtrações.

   The teacher taught me how to do subtractions.

   Há/Tem como chegarmos mais cedo?

   Is there a way for us to arrive earlier?

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:como.

Interjection

como?

2. (interrogative) what? sorry? pardon? (used as a request for someone to repeat something not heard or understood clearly)

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:como.

Synonyms

• desculpe? (Brazil) oi? perdão?

Preposition

como

2. as (in the role of)

   Synonym: de

   Todos queriam jogar como feiticeiro/mago.

   Everyone wanted to play as a wizard.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Alternative forms

• cômo (pre-reform spelling, Portugal)

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkõ.mu/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈkõ.mu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mo/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈko.mu/

• Hyphenation: co‧mo

• Audio (Brazil):

  (file)

Verb

como

1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:comer.

Sardinian

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *eccum modo. Compare Romanian acum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkomo/

Adverb

como

1. now

References

• Wagner, Max Leopold (1960–1964) “kòmo”, in Dizionario etimologico sardo, Heidelberg

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkomo/ [ˈko.mo]

• Audio (Latin America):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -omo
• Syllabification: co‧mo
• Homophone: cómo

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Spanish commo, from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo (“how”). Cognate with Catalan com, Italian come and French comme.

Adverb

como

1. as (to such an extent or degree)

   No es tan alta como nosotras.

   She's not as tall as us.

2. like, about (approximately)

   Hemos esperado como media hora.

   We've waited like half an hour.

Conjunction

como

1. as (introducing a basis of comparison or equality)

   ¿Tienes tanta hambre como yo?

   Are you as hungry as I am?

2. as, since (being that)

   Synonym: ya que

   Como nunca vio mi mensaje, vamos sin ella.

   Since she never saw my message, we're going without her.

3. how (in which way)

   Me gusta como hablas.

   I like how you talk.

4. (followed by the subjunctive) if, unless (under the condition that)

   Synonym: si

   Como llegues tarde otra vez, ¡te mato!

   If you arrive late again, I'll kill you!

Preposition

como

1. as (in the manner or role specified)

   Mis ahijados me ven como un tío.

   My godchildren see me as an uncle.

2. such as (for example)

   Synonyms: por ejemplo, como por ejemplo

   Algunos países de Asia, como Laos y Vietnam...

   Some countries in Asia, such as Laos and Vietnam...

3. like (similar to, reminiscent of)

   Llevan gafas redondas como las de John Lennon.

   They wear round glasses like John Lennon's.

Derived terms

• algo así como
• cómo
• como de (“like, as of”)
• como lo oye
• como lo oyes
• como nuevo
• como para
• como quiera que
• como sea
• como si
• como suena
• como tal
• tal y como

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

como

1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Further reading

• “como”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10