|

comme

The French word “comme” can function either as an adverb or as a conjunction.

Adverb

As an adverb, “comme” means “how.”

  • comme il est malin ! (how clever he is!)
  • comme elle est belle ! (how beautiful she is!)
  • comme j’aime nager ! (how I love to swim!)

Another word that is used similarly is “que.”

  • que vous êtes jolie ! (how pretty you are!)
  • que c’est difficile ! (how difficult it is!)
  • que c’est beau ! (how beautiful it is!)

Conjunction

Comme as a conjunction can mean “as” or “like.”

  • comme toujours (as always)
  • ils sont bêtes, lui comme elle (he is as stupid as she is)
  • fais comme moi (do as I do)
  • contente-toi de dire comme moi (just say the same thing as me)
  • rouge comme une pivoine (red as a beetroot)
  • elle me traite comme un enfant (she treats me as if I were a child)
  • un chapeau comme celui-là (a hat like that one)
  • qu’est-ce que vous avez comme couleurs ? (what colours do you have?)
  • qu’est-ce qu’il y a comme vaisselle ? (what is there in the way of crockery?)
  • comme s’il dormait (as if he was sleeping)
  • maigre comme elle est (she’s so thin)
  • travailler comme jardinier (to work as a gardener)
  • comme elle était seule (since she was alone)
  • comme il traversait la rue (as he was crossing the road)

Idiomatic expressions

  • comme quoi ! (which just shows!)
  • comme çi comme ça (so so)

Etymology:

The word “comme” comes from the Latin word “quam.” In Old French, it became “com,” eventually transforming into the present-day “comme.”

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • soit…soit

    In the French language, there’s a handy construction called “soit…soit.” This structure is used to present alternatives or choices. It’s a bit like saying “either…or” in English. Let’s delve into how it works and how you can use it effectively. The word “soit” means “either” or “whether” in English. When repeated, it emphasizes the choice…

  • il me reste

    The French verb “rester” means “to stay” or “to remain” in English. But “rester” can be used with indirect object pronouns to mean “to have left.” This is an impersonal construction. In an impersonal construction, the “il” in “il me reste” means “it,” rather than “he.” The literal translation of “il me reste” is “it…

  • les anglais ont débarqué

    This French idiom means literally, “the English have disembarked.” From 1815 to 1820, the English Army, wearing their traditional red uniforms, occupied France in their war against Napoléon. After they left, Parisians started using this phrase to mean, “to have her period,” since the flow of unwelcome English invaders wearing red coats resembled red menstrual…

  • Grammar: Imperfect tense

    The Imperfect verb tense (l’imparfait) in French is used to express continuous action in the past. If we use the English verb “to give” as an example, the meanings of the French Imperfect version of this verb would be “I was giving,” “I used to give,” “I kept on giving,” or even “I gave.” There…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *