The word "COME"

Salve. I am new and have just completed the Intro Module. I am now in module 1.1 learning about meeting someone for the first time. I have learned that in this sentence, ‘Come Stai’ Come means 'How'. In module 1.1 I just learned the sentence ‘Come ti chiami’. Come now means 'What's' according to the audio. My question is does ‘come’ have multiple meanings according to the context of it's use? Also does Italian have many words which are used this way (with different meanings) and many common phrases which may or may not have the same number of words as the related english sentence?

Grazie for helping.

Bill Dodson

Ciao William,

Welcome to your Italian learning journey, and thank you for your insightful question! It’s great to see you’re already diving deep into the intricacies of the Italian language.

The Versatility of "Come":

You are correct; the word come in Italian can indeed have multiple meanings based on the context. This versatility is not uncommon in many languages, including Italian.

• "Come" is primarily used as an interrogative or relative adverb meaning "how" or "as."
  • In the context of "Come stai?" (How are you?), it means "how."
  • In "Come ti chiami?" (What’s your name?), it also technically means "how" but translates more naturally as "What’s" in English because the direct translation ("How are you called?") is not commonly used in English.
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Italian Words with Multiple Meanings:

Indeed, Italian, like many languages, has numerous words that can change meaning based on their use in sentences. This feature adds a layer of richness but also complexity to the language. For instance:

• "Ancora" can mean "still," "yet," or "again" depending on the context.
• "Proprio" can mean "exactly," "just," or "really," and its meaning shifts subtly depending on placement and context.
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Phrases and Word Counts:

As for phrases, Italian expressions might not always align in word count with their English translations due to grammatical and idiomatic differences. For example:

• "Ho fame" translates to "I am hungry," but literally, it’s "I have hunger."
• "Che ora è?" or "Che ore sono?" both mean "What time is it?" but the structure differs from English.

This variety means that context and idiomatic usage in Italian are crucial, and you’ll find that flexibility in understanding and using these phrases will grow as you become more familiar with the language.

Feel free to ask more questions as they come up, and enjoy your learning process!

Grazie e a presto,
Enxhi