¿cómo es?
The English phrase "what is it like?" is translated into Spanish as ¿cómo es?
The phrase ¿cómo es? is used to solicit descriptions of the essence or nature of something. It is commonly used to ask about the qualities of a new job, a city or a person's character, such as in the question ¿cómo es tu nuevo trabajo? (what is your new job like?).
Which one should you use?
Use ¿cómo es? to ask about permanent characteristics or the nature of something. Do not confuse this with ¿cómo está?, which asks how something is in terms of its current condition, state, mood or health (e.g., temperature).
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask "what are they like?" regarding plural objects or people, you must change the verb to the plural form ¿cómo son?
Did you know?
- The word es is a linguistic relative of the English 'is' and the Sanskrit word 'asti', all sharing a common ancestor from the Proto-Indo-European language.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿cómo es? about a person can be a very deep question, as it invites a description of their soul or character rather than just their looks.
- If you ask ¿cómo es? about a person's physical appearance, the respondent may answer with adjectives that in English would require the verb 'to look', such as 'tall' or 'thin'.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo es el nuevo producto?What is the new product like?
- ¿Cómo es la vida en tu país?What is life like in your country?
- ¿Cómo es la comida en ese restaurante?What is the food like at that restaurant?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, es, CC BY-SA 4.0.
