Cómo (How)

¿Cómo? is the Spanish question word for how. It asks about manner, state, or the way something is done. Like other interrogatives, it always carries a written accent when used as a question word.

Asking about manner

The most direct translation of how is ¿cómo? — asking in what way something happens.

As always, Spanish uses no auxiliary verb like do, does, or did. The main verb stands on its own.

Asking about state — "how are you?"

¿Cómo estás? is probably the first Spanish question most learners memorize. It uses estar because it asks about a temporary state, not a defining identity.

Compare this to ¿Cómo es tu mamá?, which uses ser and asks What is your mom like? — her personality or appearance rather than her current mood. The ser / estar distinction changes the meaning of the question completely.

¿Cómo te llamas? — asking a name

Spanish does not literally say What is your name?. Instead, it asks How do you call yourself? using the reflexive verb llamarse.

You can also say ¿Cuál es tu nombre? — a more literal version of What is your name?, as discussed in cuál. Both are common, but ¿cómo te llamas? feels more natural in everyday conversation.

¿Cómo se dice…? — asking how to say something

This is the question you will use a thousand times while learning. It uses the impersonal se construction and is completely fixed.

Notice how Spanish uses the reflexive se where English uses the generic you. The question literally means How does one say…?

¿Cómo? as "what?"

In casual speech, ¿Cómo? alone is used the way English speakers say What? or Pardon? to ask someone to repeat themselves.

This is considered slightly more polite than ¿Qué? in many parts of Latin America, especially Mexico. In more formal settings, people say ¿Cómo dice? or ¿Perdón?.

Exclamations with cómo

¡Cómo! introduces exclamations about manner or degree.

This structure is a little dramatic and literary, but you will hear it.

Indirect questions

Cómo keeps its accent inside indirect questions.

Compare this with como (no accent), which means as or like: Hazlo como yo (Do it like I do). Same spelling minus the accent, completely different job.