comme
/kɔm/
The English phrase 'as' is translated into French as comme.
In the sense of being 'in the role of', comme is used.
Meaning: In the role of (prep)
Which one should you use?
While comme is the standard way to say 'as', en tant que is a more formal alternative used specifically to denote a professional role or official capacity. Similarly, en qualité de is a formal way to say as.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When 'as' is used to mean 'in the same way that' followed by a clause, comme is used instead of a conjunction like 'que'.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔm/
Did you know?
- The phrase comme ci, comme ça is globally recognized as meaning 'so-so', but native French speakers rarely use it in modern daily conversation.
- In casual spoken French, comme is frequently used as an exclamation of surprise or indignation, similar to saying 'How…!' in English.
- The word comme traces its lineage back to the Late Latin quōmodo, which actually means 'in what manner' or 'how'.
Examples in context
- Viens comme tu es.Come as you are.This sentence shows how to use comme to describe a state of being.Tatoeba #1849975 by sacredceltic, translation #1839424 by CK
- Fais comme il dit.Do as he says.This sentence demonstrates the use of comme to express following an instruction or manner.Tatoeba #6818246 by GB3, translation #2029928 by Spamster
- Fais comme tu veux.Do as you want.This sentence shows comme used to express following a desire or will.Tatoeba #9021 by sysko, translation #2369 by Eldad
- En tant que professeur, je trouve cette question pertinente.As a teacher, I find this question relevant.
- Comme il fait sombre, allumons la lumière.As it's dark, let's turn on the light.
- Je vous écris en qualité de président de l'association.I'm writing to you as the president of the association.
- T'as vu ? Elle est genre super contente !Did you see? She's like super happy!
- Elle est aussi belle que sa mère.She is as beautiful as her mother.
- Je travaille autant que lui.I work as much as him.
- 1529 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are discussing their roles in a school play.
- EmmaJe joue comme le roi dans la pièce.I am playing as the king in the play.
- LucasC'est super ! Et moi, je joue comme le narrateur.That's great! And me, I'm playing as the narrator.
- EmmaTu es parfait comme narrateur, Lucas.You are perfect as a narrator, Lucas.
- LucasMerci Emma, j'espère bien réussir.Thanks Emma, I hope to do well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry comme, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries comme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
