como
adverb
1 (indicando semejanza) like
tienen un perro como el nuestro they've got a dog like ours; se portó como un imbécil he behaved like an idiot; es como un pez it's like a fish; juega como yo he plays like me o like I do; como este hay pocos there are few like this o him; sabe como a queso it tastes a bit like cheese; blanco como la nieve as white as snow; tuvo resultados como no se habían conocido antes it had results such as had never been known before
2 (introduciendo ejemplo) such as
hay peces, como truchas y salmones there are fish, such as trout and salmon; tiene ventajas, como son la resistencia y durabilidad it has advantages, such as o like strength and durability
3 (indicando modo)
lo hice como me habían enseñado I did it as I had been taught; hazlo como te dijo ella do it like (familiar) o the way she told you; toca como canta she plays like (familiar) o the same way as she sings; no es como me lo imaginaba it isn't as o like (familiar) I imagined it; prefiero como lo haces tú I prefer it the way you do it; la manera como sucedió the way (in which) it happened; fue así como comenzó that was how it began; lo levanté como pude I lifted it as best I could
tal como
tal como lo había planeado just as o the way I had planned it
hazlo como quieras do it however you want o like; hazlo como puedas do your best; do the best you can
como sea at all costs
tratan de mantenerse en el poder como sea they will do whatever it takes to stay in power; está decidido a salvar como sea la vida del niño he's determined to do whatever it takes to save the child's life
sea como sea in any case
hay que evitar que nos eliminen sea como sea we must avoid getting knocked out at all costs
4 (en calidad de) as
lo usé como cuchara I used it as a spoon
asistió como espectador he attended as a spectator; lo dice como juez he says it speaking as a judge; vale más como poeta he is better as a poet
conjunction
2 (según) as
como dice mi profesor as my teacher says; como se ve en el gráfico as you can see from the diagram
tal (y) como están las cosas the way things are; as things stand
tal como están los precios de las motos ... with motorbike prices as they are at the moment ...
4 (que)
verás como les ganamos we'll beat them, you'll see; ya verás como no vienen I bet they won't come
de tanto como
tienen las manos doloridas de tanto como aplaudieron they clapped so much their hands hurt
de tanto como odio a los dos, no sé a quien odio más I hate them both so much, I don't know which I hate the most
5 (si) if
como vengas tarde, no comes if you're late you'll get nothing to eat; como sea cierto, ¡estamos perdidos! if it's true, we're done for!; ¡como lo pierdas! you'd better not lose it!; don't you lose it!
como no
como no lo haga en seguida ... if he doesn't do it at once ...; unless he does it at once ...; no salimos, como no sea para ir al cine we only go out if it's to go to the cinema; we don't go out unless it's to go to the cinema
6
como que as if
¡como que yo soy tonto y me creo esas mentiras! as if I was stupid enough to believe lies like that!; ¡como que te van a pagar! don't tell me they're going to pay you!; hizo como que no nos veía he pretended not to see us; al tragar nota como que le molesta he shows discomfort when swallowing
7
como si as if; as though
siguió leyendo, como si no hubiera oído nada he kept on reading, as if o as though he hadn't heard; sentí como si fuera a caerme I felt as if o as though I was about to fall; como si no hubiera pasado nada as if o as though nothing had happened; se comporta como si me odiara he behaves as if o as though he hated me; como si fuera a llover as if o as though it was going to rain
