As Vs. Like - What's the Difference?

- Morning, everyone.

Okay, so in today's class, we're talking about jobs.

What do you, guys, do?

- When?

- For a job?

What is your job?

What do you do?

- Oh, okay.

I'm working like a waiter.

- No, I work as a waiter or I'm a waiter.

- As?

Okay.

I work as a waiter.

Okay, I'm working as a waiter.

- Hi, sorry, I'm late.

I know, my boss kept me late.

He's crazy.

At the moment I'm working like a waiter.

- No, I'm working as a waiter, right?

- Oh, no, no, no, no.

He sells insurance.

- Insurance?

That doesn't make sense.

I hate you so much.

- (laughs) I know.

So when is it like, when is it as?

Like usually means similar to, in general.

For example...

(jazz music)

- You'll really good looking.

- Oh, really?

- Yeah.

And you look like my dog.

See, that's you.

- You look similar to my dog, you look like my dog.

As means it is this thing.

It's not similar, it is, it's the same.

For example,

she is a celebrity and she likes to buy expensive clothes.

So...

As a celebrity, I like to buy expensive clothes.

Remember, as means it is that thing.

She is a celebrity.

She is not a celebrity,

but she always buys expensive clothes, like Gucci, Dior,

other brands that I can't remember.

And they can say this,

"She buys expensive clothes, like a celebrity."

She acts similar to how a celebrity lives,

buys expensive things, whatever.

That is the difference.

As a celebrity, she is, that's her role, that's who she is.

Like a celebrity means in the style of, it's similar to.

So when you're describing your job, where you work,

a common mistake I hear is, "I work like a waiter,"

"I work like a doctor."

No, if that's your job, if that's your role, your title,

use as.

I work as a doctor, I work as a cleaner, I work as a waiter.

That's your job.

But more commonly, we just say, "I'm a doctor,"

"I'm a cleaner," simple.

Also, if you talk about the company,

you work for that company.

The department, you work in that department.

The field of work, for example, finance,

you work in finance.

And a project, you work on this project.

For example...

Hi, nice to meet you, my job?

Well, currently I'm working on a clean poo project.

Yeah, I work in poo.

Well, I work in the sales department for a toilet company.

Yeah, I like it.

Think of as, as a connecting word,

it connects things, like time.

- Mate, that was so weird.

As we were talking,

she mentioned that I look like a dog.

At the same time we were talking, as we were talking.

We also use as in comparatives

to talk about the level of something

being equal to something else.

For example...

- You're really pretty, you look just like my ex but shh.

No, no, I don't mean it like that.

No, shh.

I mean, you're definitely as pretty as my ex, all right?

So it's fine.

- Notice the structure.

This thing is as, adjective, as this thing.

So you're saying the level of this adjective, prettiness,

is the same for the ex and the current.

Maybe don't ever say this in real life.

I don't think people will like it.

However, in the negative form...

- Yeah, you're definitely pretty like my ex.

You're not as pretty as my ex though.

- You what?

This structure, the negative,

you're not as, adjective, pretty as my ex.

Now, you're saying this one, the level is not equal.

Because it's a negative, the level of prettiness for this

is lower.

So that would be an awkward conversation.

Also, as and like are very similar in one structure.

We use them to mean the same thing, but--

Look.

She thinks that her boyfriend

is basically the same as her ex,

wears stupid sunglasses, looks like an idiot,

has a stupid smile.

So she'll say, "You're just like my ex."

When you want to say that this thing is the same,

basically, as this thing, use just like.

This is just like this thing.

Not just as.

But we can use just as in a different situation.

(flatus sound)

He even farts the same.

By the way, vocabulary, this is a fart.

Say it with me, fart.

She wants to tell him that his farts

are the same as her ex's farts.

So how can she say that?

"Your farts smell just as his,"

or "Your farts smell just like his," which one is correct?

So when someone does something the same as another thing,

traditionally in grammar,

you would say it like this, "Just as his did."

Remember, we're talking about an action being the same,

your fart smell just as his did.

This is ridiculous.

But if you use like, you don't need the verb.

"Your farts smell just like his,"

stop, nothing else, no verb.

However, to be honest, in casual conversation,

if you mix these up, no one cares.

I promise you, no one will care if you say,

"Your farts smell just like his did,"

or, "Your farts smell just as his," no one cares.

As can also mean because in a more formal way, like this.

- John, honestly, you seem great for this job.

I think everyone in the office would definitely love you.

However, unfortunately, as you are a dog,

I can't hire you, mate, I'm sorry.

Please don't look at me with those eyes.

- As you're a dog, because you're dog.

Anyway, going back to like.

We also use like in direct speech.

This is when we tell someone about a conversation,

but we want to give all the details.

We want to say, "They said this, and they made this face,

"and they did this gesture with the hands."

For example...

- Oh, my God.

You are not gonna believe what he said on our date.

So he's like, "You're not as pretty as my ex."

So I'm just like you, "You what?"

And he's just like...

So I'm just like, "Uh-huh," and I left.

- Yeah, instead of saying, "He said," "She said,"

"She asked and then he did this with his hands,"

we can just say, "He was like, blah, blah, blah,"

She was like...

And then he was like...

And repeat exactly what they said word for word

and copy their gestures, copy the face that they made,

that kind of thing.

But this type of speech is pretty informal.

I don't recommend using it in a business meeting

unless you know everyone very closely

because it might seem unprofessional.

For now, only use it in casual conversations,

in informal situations.

That's safe.

Okay, let's practice all of this together.

Write your answers in the comments,

or write it in your notes,

or put it in your Instagram stories,

tag me @papateachme these five questions.

Number one, what do you do?

What's your job?

Number two, who is better looking?

Your mum or your dad?

Or are they equal in terms of beauty?

Number three, has anyone ever told you

that you look like someone famous?

For example, for me, I get told

that I look like Woody from "Toy Story",

the Genie from "Aladdin", Jason Statham,

and then pretty much anyone who has no hair and a beard.

Number four, as you're watching this video,

what is happening around you?

What's what's going on?

And finally, number five,

what happened in your last argument

or last conversation with someone?

What did you say?

What did they say?

What were they like with their hands?

What were they like with the expression?

Let me know in the comments, or in your notes,

in your Instagram stories,

just make sure that you practice what you've learned today.

And also this lesson will be covered in my ebook.

You can get it on patreon.com/papateachme.

The link is in the description.

And as it's getting late, I'll see you in the next class.

Bye bye.

(light music)