Why does como mean how and as?

Question

When I type in "as" on a translator, it comes up as "como." And when I type in "how," it comes up as como also.

Answer 1

It also means " I eat". How curious! Nevertheless, Spanish speakers can understand each other. We must be geniouses.

geniouses - samdie, Apr 26, 2011

or "geniuses" ? : ^ ) - - TejanoViejo, Apr 26, 2011

Thank you both! :) - cogumela, Apr 27, 2011

Answer 2

There are two words: "Comó" which means "How" and there is "Como" which means "Like" or "As"

Similar to que and qué.

I think you meant "cómo" for how. - Azabache, Apr 26, 2011

Answer 3

I could return the question to you: How come you need two words to say our Spanish "como" in English? Or how come when I type "elegante" I get "smart", and when I type "listo" I get "smart" too?

The solution to this great mystery: our languages are different! (big surprise!)

Now, if you think that "how" and "as" are not related in any sense, compare these sentences, both of which would use "como" in Spanish:

I'll do it how I like

I'll do it as I like

Answer 4

It also means " I eat". How curious! Nevertheless, Spanish speakers can understand each other. We must be genious.

Rather like the English "their," "they're" and "there?" Could we English speakers be geniuses, too? (Ah, well, now there's some more for you, I suppose: all those "tooz."

Yep, plumb geniuses we are. . .

. . . except, well, fewer and fewer of us seem to be getting those distinctions these days, as just a few minutes of exposure to the internet -- or "textese" -- will well demonstrate.