Una de las palabras que más confusión nos crea a la hora de decirla en inglés es «como» porque en inglés tenemos más de una opción dependiendo del contexto, podemos usar like, as y a veces incluso how. En este post por fin aprenderás a decir «como» con like, as y how correctamente.
Lo hemos organizado en las diferentes formas en las que los hispanohablantes usamos como y cuál sería la opción correcta en inglés en cada caso.
Como = parecido a, igual que > LIKE
Usamos like para decir que algo es parecido a. En este caso no es posible utilizar as.
They have a large house, it’s like a palace. (es como un palacio)
They have a large house, it’s as a palace.
Michael speaks English like a native. (habla como un nativo)
Michael speaks English as a native.
He’s a freelance, like me. (como yo)
He’s a freelance, as me.
She smokes like a chimney. (como una chimenea)
She smokes as a chimney.
Si te ayuda, a la hora de recordarlo mejor, es estos ejemplos, como puede ser «como si fuera» pero no lo es, es decir, habla como si fuera nativo, pero no lo es.
Para decir parecer o parecerse a podemos usar también look like
E.g.
It looks like it is going to rain. (parece que va a llover)
She looks like her mother. (se parece a su madre)
Como = por ejemplo > LIKE.
Usamos like cuando queremos poner ejemplos.
E.g.
I have been in many European cities like London, Rome, Paris.
They like practicing team sports like football and basketball.
En este caso, otra alternativa es utilizar such as
E.g.
I have been in many European cities such as London, Rome, Paris.
They like practicing team sports such as football and basketball.
Como = como, en forma de > AS
E.g.
We use one of the rooms as a home office.
Many words can be used as verbs or as nouns.
They work very well as a team.
London is nice as a place to visit but I wouldn’t live there.
Como = en calidad de > AS
Usamos as de esta forma para referirnos a nuestra profesión.
E.g.
She works as a primary school teacher.
He works as a manager.
I work as a nurse.
Te dijimos que con este post por fin aprenderás a decir «como» con like, as y how correctamente y ésta es la parte más importante, pay attention!
Como > AS vs. LIKE
Éste uso es el que más nos cuesta diferenciar entre like y as, porque en este caso podemos usar ambos like y as pero ojo! que el significado cambia. Vamos a verlo con ejemplos. Pongamos el caso de Tim y Jake, Tim es director y Jake es su asistente.
As a manager, Tim has to take important decisions. (como manager = en calidad de)
Like the manager, Jake has to take important decision. (como el director, pero él no es el director = igual que él)
Te ha quedado claro? No? Vamos a verlo de otro modo.
As Tim’s assistant, Jake has to take important decisions, like him. (Como asistente de Tim (=en calidad de) Jake tiene que tomar decisiones importantes, como Tim (=igual que él)).
Otro ejemplo más de este caso
As your father, he wants the best for you. (como tu padre, en calidad de padre, él quiere lo mejor para ti)
Like your father, I want the best for you. (como tu padre, igual que tu padre, aunque no lo soy, quiero lo mejor para ti)
Bueno, pues aclarado esto, seguimos con más usos
Como = de la misma manera > AS o LIKE
En este uso es posible utilizar ambas formas, aunque es preferible usar as porque like es más informal, más propio del lenguaje hablado y en algunos casos se considera incorrecto usar like en este contexto.
Eg.
Nobody knows him as I do.
Nobody knows him like I do.
I left everything as it was.
I left everything like it was.
Como = en expresiones hechas > AS
Encontramos y usamos as en expresiones como (in expressions like-such as)
As I said
As you know
As I thought
As expected
As requested
As always
As usual
E.g.
As you know, this is not the first time we have had this problem. (como sabe)
As always, Ben was late for class again today. (como siempre)
As I said, I hope this is the last time you are late. (como ya he dicho)
Here is the report, as requested. (como solicitó)
Como = en expresiones hechas, comparaciones > LIKE
She smokes like a chimney.
He swears like a sailor.
They eat like pigs.
I work like a dog.
Como = en comparativos – tanto … como > AS
As soon as
As much / many as
As cheap / good / as
Para comparativos también podemos usar same as, not same that or same than.
His jacket is the same colour as mine.
His jacket is the same colour than mine.
Their building is in the same street as our office.
Their building is in the same street that our office.
Cómo = interrogativo > HOW
Finalmente, incluimos el cómo interrogativo porque ya que estamos, vamos a dejarlo todo bien clarito. Usamos how cuando es un pronombre interrogativo (y en español suele llevar acento). No se usa solo en preguntas directas, también en preguntas indirectas o implícitas. Ejemplos, please? allá vamos.
E.g.
How do you say … in English? (¿cómo se dice … en inglés?)
How did you know about it? (¿cómo lo supiste?)
Do you know how I can get to the bus station? (¿sabes cómo puedo ir a la estación de autobús?)
I asked her how she was but she didn’t answer me. (le pregunté cómo estaba pero no me contestó)
She learn how to make a cheesecake. (aprendió cómo hacer tarta de queso)
I’ll show how to do it. (te enseñaré cómo hacerlo)
Llegamos al final del post, comentar que nos hemos centrado en los usos de like, as y how con los que nos confundimos más a la hora de decir «como» aunque estas tres palabras se pueden usar de otro modo en contextos diferentes en inglés (like como verbo, how en otro tipo de preguntas, etc).
Te parece mucho? No te preocupes, después de haber leído este post seguro que por fin aprenderás a decir «como» con like, as y how correctamente. Si quieres ponerte a prueba aquí tienes también un pequeño ejercicio.
Your sister looks _____ your mother.
I want to speak English _____ you.
_____ a secretary, she has to answer many phone calls.
He found a part-time job _____ a waiter.
I have been working _____ a dog lately.
Can you show me _____ to do it?
_____ you know, we are planning a new strategy.
I’ll phone you tomorrow _____ usual, ok?
She visited exotic places _____ Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
VER RESPUESTAS CORRECTAS
Your sister looks like your mother.
I want to speak English like you.
As a secretary, she has to answer many phone calls.
He found a part-time job as a waiter.
I have been working like a dog lately.
Can you show me how to do it?
As you know, we are planning a new strategy.
I’ll phone you tomorrow as usual, ok?
She visited exotic places like Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Hey buddies, hoy toca post de phrasal verbs, I know, they can be hard y no siempre es fácil entenderlos y luego ponerlos en práctica. Hoy nos centramos en los 15 Phrasal verbs con take que ya tendrías que conocer. No worries, si aún no los conoces te los explicamos con significado y ejemplos, uno por uno.
To take after someone – to look like someone, to have a similar appearance or personality- parecerse a alguien
E.g.
Mike takes after his mother; they both have the same blue eyes and blond hair.
Everybody says Beth takes after her grandmother, they have a talent for art.
To take something apart – to disassemble, to separate something into smaller parts- desmontar
E.g.
He’s always taking apart all types of mechanical toys.
I think I should take apart my computer and clean it properly.
To take away something – to separate, to remove – apartar, quitar, llevarse
E.g.
Could you take away this old chair? I don’t want it anymore.
If you don’t study harder, we’ll have to take away your telephone.
To take something back
1) to return something – devolver algo
E.g.
He bought some shoes but they don’t fit. He will ned to take them back.
2) to admit that you did/say something wrong – retirar (algo que has dicho)
E.g.
Sorry for saying those words to you, I take it back.
To take something down
1) to separate something into parts – desmontar
E.g.
After the concert finished, the crew took down the stage.
2) to write on paper – escribir, tomar nota de algo
E.g.
Let me take down your phone number, just in case.
To take someone in – to let someone stay in your house – dejar que alguien se quede en tu casa.
E.g.
He was having a hard time finding an apartment, so we took him in for a month.
You are so nice to take me in, I cannot thank you enough.
To take something in – to assimilate or understand information – comprender o asimilar información.
E.g.
The speaker said interesting things but it was a lot to take in.
I’m reading this manual and I can’t take it in.
To take off
1) to rise in the air (an airplane) – despegar (un avión)
E.g.
The plane will take off in 30 minutes.
2) also to become successful or popular very fast – despegar en sentido figurativo.
E.g.
Recently, their blog has taken off and now they are very popular.
Her career took off when she started working in publicity.
To take something off
1) to remove (clothes) – quitarse (ropa)
E.g.
As soon as I get home I take off my shoes and change my clothes.
2) not to work for a period of time – tener un día/semana libre (sin ir al trabajo)
E.g.
She took a week off to visit her family in France.
I’ll take two days off next week.
To take someone on – to hire someone – contratar a alguien.
E.g.
We need to take on a new cleaning lady.
Our company is taking on more employees next month.
To take something on – to accept some work or responsibility – aceptar/asumir responsabilidades
E.g.
Do you have time to take on a new project?
She took on more tasks in order to get promoted.
To take (it) out on someone – to make someone feel bad, because you are feeling bad too – tomarla con alguien
E.g.
Hey, I understand that you’ve had a horrible day, but don’t take it out on me.
I was stressed and I took it out on him.
To take over something – to take control of something – asumir el control de algo
E.g.
His real intention was to take over the company.
A large holding has taken over our company and there will be some changes.
To take up something
1) to fill space or time – ocupar espacio o tiempo
E.g.
These books are taking up all the space in my room.
This project is taking up more time than I expected.
2) to start doing something regularly – comenzar un nuevo hábito
E.g.
I’ve recently taken up yoga.
Why did you took up golf?
To take somebody up on something – to accept an offer- aceptar una invitación.
E.g.
You’re always welcome to stay with us when you’re in Paris.
Thank you, I’ll take you up on that the next time I come to France.
Esperamos que no haya sido demasiado para asimilar, a lot to take in y que te animes a poner algunos de ellos en práctica, verás que tu confianza con los phrasal verbs pronto despega, it will soon take off, y si por el contrario te has quedado con ganas de más phrasal verbs aquí tienes «Los mejores phrasal verbs con get, descúbrelos!»
