Like

preposition

translation

Comme

The most common translation of "like" is comme.
It can express a manner.
Its role in similes is notorious ("A simile is a metaphor using like or as")

• If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb. (fierce winds March 1 -> a gentle breeze March 31)
• "Someone like you". (Adèle)
• in the role of = as (the/a): Comme contribuable = As a taxpayer; comme tout contribuable = As any taxpayer

  Sense verbs (verbs of perception)

  However when associated with a sense verb the meaning is of the two words together (looks like) is more on dirait qu(e / 'il) :</p>

  • looks like: avoir l'air de, on dirait qu'il
    • (It) looks like rain.
    (On dirait qu'il va pleuvoir)
    • That looks like everything.
    (On dirait que c'est tout.)
    • He/It doesn't look like he's in much pain. (Il n'a pas l'air de souffrir trop.)
    • She/It looks like she's getting better. (Elle a l'air d'aller mieux.)
  • feels like: se sentir / on dirait de / notion de toucher
  • It feels like silk but maybe it's synthetic.
  • I feel like hell this morning.
  • tastes like: avoir le/un gout de
    • Do frog legs taste more like chicken or more like beef?
    • That's a very delicate whiskey, it tastes like lapsang suchong.
  • smells like: avoir l'odeur de
    • It smells like onions in here.
    • The rat must have thought it smelled like a trap, because it wouldn't eat the cheese.
    • It's smelling a bit like spring, at last.
  • sounds like: avoir l'air de: (au téléphone)
  • You sound like you're not feeling very well.
  • It sounds like you've done all you can.
  • seems like: avoir l'air de, on dirait
    • It seems like it's working
    • They seem like nice people.

    etymology

    
    

    
    

    verb

    aimer (bien) --> like.
    aimer (d'amour) --> love

    Verb + COD

    2 arguments (subject + predicate), "transitive"

    • Infinitivals: He likes to read her tweets. (whenever it happens that she tweets)
    • Participials: He likes reading her tweets. (while he's reading them)
    • Other NPs: She likes her rabbit. She doesn't like cats.
    • Animate subject: My pet rock likes sleeping up there on the shelf.

    
    

    discourse marker

    
    

    The comparative suffix -like

    • child-like

    The associative prefix like-

    • like-minded
    • likewise (de même, également)

    
    

    
    

    The NP / ADV alike

    • a look-alike
    • a sound-alike