¿Cómo eres físicamente?
The English phrase "what do you look like?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Cómo eres físicamente?
This question is used to ask someone for a description of their physical appearance. While there are shorter ways to ask this, adding the word físicamente makes it clear that you are asking specifically about their looks rather than their personality.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿Cómo eres físicamente? literally translates to "How are you physically?"
Which one should you use?
The phrase ¿Cómo eres? is a common shorthand that can be used to ask about both personality and physical appearance. In contrast, ¿Cómo eres físicamente? specifies that you are asking strictly about physical looks.
How does it change in a sentence?
The shorter phrase ¿Cómo eres? is often used to mean "What are you like?", covering general characteristics like temperament or physical traits.
Did you know?
- The verb form eres in this phrase is actually a linguistic fossil. It is a descendant of the Latin future tense 'you will be', which survived even though the original Latin present tense was replaced.
- While ¿Cómo eres físicamente? describes a person, Spanish uses the different verb estar for temporary looks, such as when someone is dressed up or looks tired.
Examples in context
- Juan (formal): ¿Cómo es usted?What do you look like?
- Soy alto y tengo el pelo rizado.I am tall and have curly hair.
- No te conozco, ¿cómo eres físicamente?I don't know you, what do you look like?
Example conversation
Elena and Daniel are chatting online for the first time.
- ElenaNunca nos hemos visto. ¿Cómo eres físicamente?We have never seen each other. What do you look like?
- DanielSoy alto, tengo el pelo corto y ojos marrones.I am tall, I have short hair and brown eyes.
- ElenaEntiendo, ahora puedo imaginarte mejor.I see, now I can imagine you better.
- DanielY tú, ¿cómo eres tú?And you, what do you look like?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, eres, físicamente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
