Common French Word: Comme

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The French word comme can be a conjunction, adverb, or part of an adverbial phrase and is one of the most common French words and is used in a number of common expressions.

Comme As a conjunction

Comme is a French subordinating conjunction meaning "as" or "since":

  • Il est arrivé comme je commençais à manger. Translation: He arrived as I was starting to eat.
  • Comme il n'est pas là, je vais le faire. Translation: Since he's not here, I'm going to do it.

Comme is commonly used in comparisons to mean "like" or "as":

  • Pensent-ils comme nous? Translation: Do they think like/as we do?
  • C'est une excuse comme une autre. Translation: It's as good an excuse as any.

Comme As an Exclamative Adverb

As an exclamative adverb, comme means "how" or "so":

  • Comme tu es grand! Translation: You're so tall!
  • Comme il fait beau! Translation: How beautiful the weather is!

Comme Plus an Adjective

Comme plus an adjective means that something/someone seems to be that adjective:

  • Il était comme fou. Translation: He was acting crazy.
  • Elle est comme désorientée. Translation: She seems bewildered.

Comme Tout

Comme tout plus an adjective means "so (adjective)" or "as (adjective) as can be":

  • C'est facile comme tout. Translation: It's as easy as can be.
  • Il est sympa comme tout. Translation: He's so nice.

Comme Si

Comme si means "as if" or "as though":

  • Il m'a parlé comme si rien ne s'était passé. Translation: He talked to me as if nothing had happened.
  • Ce n'est pas comme si je suis riche! Translation: It's not as though I'm rich!
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Team, ThoughtCo. "Common French Word: Comme." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/all-about-comme-1371163. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). Common French Word: Comme. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/all-about-comme-1371163 Team, ThoughtCo. "Common French Word: Comme." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/all-about-comme-1371163 (accessed March 29, 2024).