como

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "como"

Asturian

Verb

como

  1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Galician

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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

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

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 active passive
present perfect future present perfect future
infinitives cōmere cōmpsisse cōmptūrum esse cōmī cōmptum esse cōmptum īrī
participles cōmēns — cōmptūrus — cōmptus cōmendus,
cōmundus
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

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈkoː.moː/, or IPA(key): /ˈkoː.mo/,
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈko.mo/,
  • 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)

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

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, →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

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

Old Galician-Portuguese

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Conjunction

como

  1. how (the fact that; the way that)

Descendants

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

Portuguese

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

 

  • Hyphenation: co‧mo
  • Audio(file)
    (Brazil)

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
Derived terms

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

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.

Pronunciation

 

  • 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

Adverb

como

  1. now

References

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

Spanish

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

  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

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

como

  1. first-person singular present indicative of comer

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia