diff --git a/doc_src/cmds/command.rst b/doc_src/cmds/command.rst
index 24f6147a4..d4f046835 100644
--- a/doc_src/cmds/command.rst
+++ b/doc_src/cmds/command.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ Description
 
 **command** forces the shell to execute the program *COMMANDNAME* and ignore any functions or builtins with the same name.
 
+In ``command foo``, ``command`` is a keyword.
+
 The following options are available:
 
 **-a** or **--all**
diff --git a/doc_src/language.rst b/doc_src/language.rst
index cb628aa64..29cb83751 100644
--- a/doc_src/language.rst
+++ b/doc_src/language.rst
@@ -747,6 +747,28 @@ Some more examples::
   # The second element of every variable, so output is
   # 2 5
 
+Variables as command
+''''''''''''''''''''
+
+Like other shells, you can run the value of a variable as a command.
+
+::
+
+   > set -g EDITOR emacs
+   > $EDITOR foo # opens emacs, possibly the GUI version
+
+If you want to give the command an argument inside the variable it needs to be a separate element::
+
+   > set EDITOR emacs -nw
+   > $EDITOR foo # opens emacs in the terminal even if the GUI is installed
+   > set EDITOR "emacs -nw"
+   > $EDITOR foo # tries to find a command called "emacs -nw"
+
+Also like other shells, this only works with commands, builtins and functions - it will not work with keywords because they have syntactical importance.
+
+For instance ``set if $if`` won't allow you to make an if-block, and ``set cmd command`` won't allow you to use the :cmds:`command <command>` decorator, but only uses like ``$cmd -q foo``.
+
+
 .. _expand-command-substitution:
 
 Command substitution