Question: COMO? (How?)

At its heart, como is an interrogative word. This is just a fancy way of saying it starts questions. Its job is to find out the "way" or "manner" in which something happens. Unlike some complex Portuguese rules, como is quite friendly to beginners. It usually sits right at the start of your sentence. It waits there to signal that you want to know the process or state of something. You don't need to change its form based on who you are talking to. Whether you are talking to one person or a hundred, como stays exactly as it is. It is steady and reliable. Think of it like a grammar traffic light that always stays green for your curiosity.

1. 1Building a question with como is like building with LEGO blocks. It follows a very predictable sequence:
2. 2Start with the word como.
3. 3Add your verb (the action).
4. 4Add the subject (the person or thing), though this is often optional in Portuguese.
5. 5Throw a question mark at the end.
6. 6For example, if you want to ask how someone is, you take como, add estás (you are), and you get Como estás?. If you want to use the common emphasis filler é que, the pattern looks like this: Como + é que + subject + verb. So, Como é que tu vais? becomes "How are you going?" Adding é que makes you sound a bit more natural and less like a textbook. It is like adding a little bit of local spice to your soup.

You will use como in almost every social interaction. First, use it for greetings. Como vai? is a classic way to ask how things are going. Second, use it to ask for someone's name. In Portuguese, we don't say "What is your name?" we say Como te chamas?. This literally means "How do you call yourself?" and it is the standard way to introduce yourself. Third, use it for instructions. If you are lost and need to get to the beach, you ask Como chego à praia?. Fourth, use it for descriptions. If you want to know what a friend's new apartment is like, ask Como é a tua casa?. It covers everything from health to directions. Yes, even native speakers use it to fill gaps when they are surprised. They might just say Como?! which means "How?!" or "What?!" when they can't believe what they just heard.

Be careful, because como has some limits. Do not use it for "How much" or "How many." For those, you need a different word: quanto. If you ask Como custa? instead of Quanto custa?, the shopkeeper might give you a confused look. You are basically asking "In what manner does this cost?" rather than the price. Also, avoid using como when you are asking for a choice between items. That is the territory of qual (which). For example, don't ask "How is your favorite color?" using como. It just doesn't work. Stick to using como for processes, states, and descriptions. It is a specialist, not a generalist. Think of it like a screwdriver; it is great for screws, but don't try to use it as a hammer.

A very common trap for English speakers is trying to translate "How do you like..." literally. In English, we say "How do you like the food?" In Portuguese, we usually say O que achas da comida? (What do you think of the food?). If you say Como gostas da comida?, a Portuguese person might think you are asking for the recipe or if you like it spicy versus salty. Another mistake is forgetting that como also means "I eat." If you say Eu como como um leão, you are saying "I eat like a lion." It sounds funny, but it is perfectly correct! Just don't get confused when you see it in a sentence without a question mark. Context is everything. If there is food nearby, como might just be about lunch, not a question.

You might wonder about the difference between como and quão. In A1 Portuguese, you can almost forget about quão. It is very formal and rarely used in spoken conversation. It is like the difference between saying "How big is it?" and "To what extent is its magnitude?" Use como for everything. Another contrast is with porquê (why). Como asks for the method; porquê asks for the reason. If you ask Como vais ao Porto?, I will tell you I'm taking the train. If you ask Porquê vais ao Porto?, I will tell you I want to see the bridge. Keeping these two separate will save you a lot of confusing conversations in train stations.