Have you ever wanted to talk about
similarities between people or
things but were unsure what words to
use?
have you ever wanted to...?:
¿has querido alguna vez...?;
similarities: semejanzas,
parecidos; unsure:
indeciso/a, inseguro/a; what
words to use: cuáles palabras
usar;
The words “ALIKE” and “LIKE” are
easy to confuse. We use both to show
similarities between people or
things. They also sound ALIKE.
alike: del mismo modo,
similarmente, parecido; like:
como, semejante a; easy to
confuse: fáciles de confundir;
sound alike: suenan parecido;
Did you see how I used the word “alike”?
I used it as an adverb. “Alike” can
be an adverb or an adjective.
did you see how...?:
¿observaste cómo...?;
ALIKE (adverb)
As an adverb, it means “in a similar
way”. We use it after an action verb
– a verb that expresses physical or
mental action.
in a similar way: de manera
similar, similarmente; action
verb: verbo de acción (palabra
que es el centro del predicado y que
expresa una acción física o
actividad mental);
Here is an example that is also a
popular expression:
Great minds think ALIKE.
It means that very intelligent
people have the same ideas at the
same time.
great minds think alike: las
grandes mentes piensan o razonan
parecido; it means that:
significa que;
Here’s another:
Teens sometimes
try to dress ALIKE.
teens: (abreviatura de "teenagers")
los adolescentes; dress alike:
visten parecido;
One other meaning for the adverb "alike"
is “both”. We use it to talk about
two individual people or things or
two groups of people or things:
Students and teachers ALIKE
can listen to "Ask a Teacher".
both: ambos, tanto uno como
el otro; students and teachers
alike: tanto los estudiantes
como los profesores;
For this meaning, notice that the
word “alike” comes after the two
groups – students and teachers.
for this meaning: para este
significado; notice that:
observa que; comes after: le
sigue a;
ALIKE (adjective)
As an adjective, “alike” means
“similar in appearance, nature or
form”. We use it after
linking verbs, such as
“be,” “look” and “sound”.
Let’s hear some examples.
appearance, nature or form:
aspecto, calidad o forma; after
linking verbs: después de verbos
conectores (be, look, sound);
let's hear: escuchemos;
You and your brother are
so much ALIKE!
Those sports cars look ALIKE.
They’re the same shape and color.
My mom and I sound
ALIKE
on the phone.
are so much alike: se parecen
tanto; look alike: son muy
parecidos; shape and color:
diseño y color; my mom and I:
mi mamá y yo; sound alike:
tenemos la voz parecida; on the
phone: por teléfono;
LIKE (preposition)
Now, let’s talk about “like.” The
main meaning we are talking about
today is as a preposition. It means
“similar to” and comes before a noun
or pronoun object. Here are some
examples:
let's talk about: hablemos
sobre; main meaning:
principal significado; as a
preposition: como preposición;
You are just LIKE your
brother.
This sports car looks a lot
LIKE that one.
I sound LIKE my mom on
the phone.
just like: exactamente igual
a; looks a lot like: se
parece mucho a; I sound like my
mom: mi voz se parece mucho a la
de mi mamá;
We can use the preposition “like”
for all five senses.
for all five senses: para los
cinco sentidos
(sight-vista,
hearing-oído, touch-tacto,
smell-olfato, taste-gusto);
LIKE (conjunction)
The use of "like" that often
confuses English learners is as a
conjunction.
When a conjunction, “like” means “as
if” or “as though” and is
informal. Here’s
how that sounds:
The plane felt LIKE it was going
to crash!
that often confuses: que a
menudo confunde (a los); as if =
as though: como si; how that
sounds: como suena; felt like:
se sentía como si; it was going
to crash: fuera a estrellarse;
It means that the plane felt
as if it were going to crash.
There was probably a lot of
turbulence, for
example.
But, avoid this use in formal
writing.
there was probably:
probablemente había; a lot of
turbulence: mucha turbulencia;
avoid this use: evita este uso;
in formal writing: en la
escritura formal.
I'm Alice Bryant. |