cómo se dice
/komo se diθe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "how to say" is translated into Spanish as cómo se dice.
¿Cómo se dice…? is the standard way to ask for a translation or the name of an object when you do not know the word in Spanish.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "how it is said". It uses the reflexive pronoun se to create an impersonal construction.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the third-person singular form of the verb decir (to say) to function as an impersonal "how does one say" or "how is it said".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly say cómo decir (an infinitive construction) instead of the more natural cómo se dice when asking for a translation.
Did you know?
- The phrase cómo se dice is often accompanied by a shrug or a palms-up gesture to emphasize the state of not knowing.
- The pronoun se in this phrase has two different ancestors. One comes from the Latin word for 'self' and the other from a word meaning 'to him' or 'to her'.
- The word decir is a root for the English word 'dictate' and the word 'dictionary', both sharing the same Latin origin regarding speaking.
Examples in context
- No sé cómo se dice en francés.I don't know how to say that in French.This example shows how to express that you do not know how to say something in French using cómo se dice.Tatoeba #2482856 by Shishir, translation #2451302 by CK
- «¿De verdad crees que si añades una -o al final de cada palabra estás hablando español?» «No, pero si no sé cómo se dice una palabra vale la pena intentarlo.»"Do you really think that when you add an -o at the end of every word, you're speaking Spanish?" "No, but if I don't know how to say something, it's worth a shot."This dialogue uses cómo se dice to express that it is worth trying even if you do not know how to say a word.Tatoeba #10034789 by Shishir, translation #10637511 by DJ_Saidez
- ¿Cómo se dice XXX en neerlandés?How to say XXX in Dutch?This sentence uses cómo se dice to ask how to say something in Dutch.Tatoeba #10984683 by Adelpa, translation #388261 by sysko
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are studying Spanish together at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Cómo se dice «book» en español?How do you say "book" in Spanish?
- AlejandroSe dice "libro".You say "libro".
- LucíaGracias, Alejandro. ¿Y cómo se dice «pen»?Thanks, Alejandro. And how do you say "pen"?
- AlejandroSe dice "bolígrafo".You say "bolígrafo".
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
