Asking questions is an important part of any conversation, regardless of the language. Questions can help you learn more about a topic, understand someone’s speech, or find out more information. In this article, we discuss how to say “why” in Spanish.
What is “why” in Spanish? Is it “por qué” or “para qué”?
There are two ways of saying “why” in Spanish. The reason is because “why” in Spanish is formed from two words: the first means “for” and the second means “what.“
We know that “what” is “qué”, but …
How to say “for” in Spanish: “Por” vs “Para”
Both “por” and “para” can mean “for” in Spanish. (Check the “Por” vs. “Para” Lesson)
The main difference between the two is that “por” is often used to denote reason or motive, for example:
| Llegaremos tarde por el tráfico. | We’ll be late because of the traffic. |
| Él murió por falta de agua. | He died due to a lack of water. |
On the other hand, “para” is often used to denote a goal or objective, usually meaning “in order to,” for example:
| Trabajo para ganar dinero. | I work in order to earn money. |
| Voy a la universidad para estudiar. | I go to the university to study. |
Therefore, depending on whether the “why” question is inquiring about the reason (use “por”) or objective (use “para”), we use the more accurate translation of the interrogative “why.”
Thus, we could ask the following questions regarding the statements above:
1. “Why?” = “¿Por qué?” (reason)
| ¿Por qué llegamos tarde? Llegaremos tarde por el tráfico. |
Why are we late? We’ll be late because of the traffic. |
| ¿Por qué murió? Él murió por falta de agua. |
Why did he die? He died due to a lack of water. |
2. “Why?” = “¿Para qué?” (objective)
| ¿Para qué trabajas? Trabajo para ganar dinero. |
Why do you work? (You work for what?) I work in order to earn money. |
| ¿Para qué vas a la universidad? Voy a la universidad para estudiar. |
Why do you go to university? (why = what for) I go to the university to study. |
The difference can be subtle sometimes, but this is, in general, how to say “why” in Spanish, and this is why there are two options: “¿Por qué?” and “¿Para qué?”
In Summary, whereas “¿por qué?” enquires about the reason, “¿para qué?” enquires about the purpose or objective and can be better translated as “What for?”, e.g., “¿Para qué necesitas eso?” (What do you need this for?).
“Por qué” vs “porque”
Finally, keep in mind that if the interrogative pronoun “¿por qué?” (why?) is written without the accent and the space, i.e., “porque,” it means “because.” For example:
| No confío en él porque es deshonesto. | I don’t trust him because he’s dishonest. |
