como
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "como"
Etymology
Inherited from Old Leonese commo, como, cuemo, from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.
Pronunciation
Verb
como
Alternative forms
Adverb
como
Conjunction
como
Etymology
Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese como, from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.
Pronunciation
Adverb
como
Conjunction
como
Verb
como
Further reading
- “como”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025
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)
- (interrogative) how
- Como interpreta Jamblicho iste function del anima?
- How does Iamblichus interpret this function of the soul?
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
- to bring together, form, frame, construct, arrange
- (usually of hair) to take care of, care for; comb, dress; braid
- (in general) to adorn, deck, dress, ornament
Conjugation
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
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 do during the post-Augustan period. Romance descendants show both open and closed first vowel.
Adverb
cōmō̆ (not comparable)
- (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 (in Italian), number 2, , →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
Etymology
From Portuguese como. The usage with assí is likely a calque of Cantonese 好似…咁.
Pronunciation
Adverb
como
- 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.
Etymology
Etymology tree
Pronunciation
Conjunction
como
- how (the fact that; the way that)
- 13th century CE, 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.
- Como ſanta maria fez deſcobrir hũa poſta de carne que furtaran a uũs romeus na uila de Rocamador.
Descendants
Etymology 1
Etymology tree
From Old Galician-Portuguese como (“how; in what way”), from Latin cōmō̆, a non-literary form of quōmodo.
Pronunciation
- (Northern Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈku.mu/
- Hyphenation: co‧mo
(Brazil)Audio: (file)
Adverb
como (not comparable)
- how (in what way, manner)
- Como (é que) se frita um ovo?
- How does one fry an egg?
- 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?
- 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.
- like; just alike; similarly to
- (O) Teu vestido é vermelho como sangue.
- Your dress is red like blood.
- 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
Derived terms
- como por exemplo
- como assim?
- como não?!
- como quê
Conjunction
como
- 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.
- 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...
- (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.
- 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?
- (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
Preposition
como
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Verb
como
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:comer.
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *eccum modo. Compare Romanian acum.
Pronunciation
Adverb
como
References
- Wagner, Max Leopold (1960–1964) “kòmo”, in Dizionario etimologico sardo, Heidelberg
Pronunciation
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
Conjunction
como
- as (introducing a basis of comparison or equality)
- ¿Tienes tanta hambre como yo?
- Are you as hungry as I am?
- 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.
- how (in which way)
- Me gusta como hablas.
- I like how you talk.
- (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
- as (in the manner or role specified)
- Mis ahijados me ven como un tío.
- My godchildren see me as an uncle.
- 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...
- like (similar to, reminiscent of)
- Llevan gafas redondas como las de John Lennon.
- They wear round glasses like John Lennon's.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
como
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
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