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) / "Like a hurricane"
• "like a leaf clings to a tree, oh my darling cling to me..." (Cf. David Bowie, Nina Simone, "Wild is the Wind", lyrics)

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