comme
/kɔm/
The French word comme means 'as' or 'like'.
Comme is used to compare two things or to describe the manner in which something is done. It can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence to mean 'as' or 'since' when providing a reason.
Which one should you use?
When you want to express similarity, use comme to mean 'like'. However, if you are referring to a person's role or function, you should use en tant que to mean 'as'.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔm/
Did you know?
- The phrase comme ci, comme ça is often taught to English speakers, but native French speakers rarely use it to mean 'so-so' in modern conversation.
- The word comme shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'commodity', which traces back to the same Late Latin root regarding 'manner' or 'way'.
- In casual spoken French, comme can be used as an exclamation to mean 'how' or 'so', such as comme c'est beau meaning 'how beautiful it is'.
Examples in context
- Elle est douce comme un agneau.She is as gentle as a lamb.
- Il travaille comme un fou.He works like a madman.
- Fais comme moi.Do as I do.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are cooking together in the kitchen.
- ChloéCoupe les légumes comme je le fais.Cut the vegetables as I am doing.
- GabrielC'est plus difficile que ça en a l'air.It is harder than it looks.
- ChloéRegarde bien, c'est simple comme bonjour.Look closely, it is as simple as pie.
- GabrielD'accord, je vais essayer encore une fois.Okay, I will try one more time.
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.
