cómo
/ˈkomo/
In Spanish, "how do you" is translated as cómo.
In Spanish, when asking about the method or way of doing something (equivalent to "how do you [verb]" in the sense of "how is it done"), it is common to use cómo alongside the impersonal se and a third-person singular verb. This creates a construction like ¿Cómo se [verb]…?, which translates to "How do you [verb]?" or "How is one [verb]?"
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the accented cómo, which means "how" and the unaccented como, which can mean "I eat" or "as/like".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cómo must always carry an accent mark when it is used in a question or an exclamation.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkomo/
Did you know?
- The word cómo can be used on its own to mean 'pardon' or 'what did you say'. When spoken with a rising intonation, it asks the speaker to repeat themselves without being as blunt as ¿qué?
- Depending on the country, ¿Cómo? can be replaced by ¿Mande? in Mexico when asking someone to repeat themselves, as cómo can sometimes sound too direct or impolite.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if you ask ¿Cómo estás? to a stranger, it is often a polite social lubricant rather than an invitation to share your actual feelings.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo se dice eso?How do you say that?The first example is useful for learning how to use cómo to ask how to say something.Tatoeba #1429403 by marcelostockle, translation #759355 by vgigregg
- ¿Cómo se siente hoy?How do you feel today?The second example shows how to use cómo to ask about a person's state of being.Tatoeba #1965448 by marcelostockle, translation #54489 by CK
- ¿Cómo conoces a Tom?How do you know Tom?The third example demonstrates using cómo to ask about the manner in which someone knows another person.Tatoeba #3239789 by marcelostockle, translation #1885914 by CK
- 243 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo is asking Elena for directions in a city.
- Mateo¿Cómo voy al museo?How do I get to the museum?
- ElenaDebes ir por esta calle.You should go down this street.
- Mateo¿Cómo llego caminando?How do I get there walking?
- ElenaEs un paseo muy corto.It is a very short walk.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cómo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
