Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish porque from its related forms. Use por que (two words) when you are asking 'why' in a question, whereas porque (one word) is used for the answer 'because'. Additionally, the form porquê (with a circumflex accent) functions as a noun meaning 'the reason' or 'the why'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more formal or convey a stronger sense of justification, you can use pois. In very casual, everyday conversation, you might hear people use the informal que instead of porque.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/puʁˈke/
When do people say it?
In colloquial settings, you may hear certain fixed phrases used to respond to questions. The phrase porque sim is used to give a non-specific or arbitrary reason, similar to saying 'just because' or 'because I said so'. The phrase porque não can be used literally to mean 'why not' or as a way to suggest an idea or respond to a proposal.
Did you know?
- Portuguese is one of the few languages with four distinct ways to write the 'why/because' sound depending on whether it is a question, an answer, a noun or at the end of a sentence.
- The word porque is a 'univerbation', meaning it was originally two separate words, 'por' and 'que', that fused together over centuries of use.
- Using the phrase porque sim is a common way for children to end an argument with their parents by effectively saying 'because I said so'.
Examples in context
- É porque eu te amo.It's because I love you.This sentence shows how to use porque to express a reason for an emotion.Tatoeba #4581879 by KimiP, translation #2021208 by Spamster
- Eu vim porque quis.I came because I wanted to.This sentence demonstrates using porque to express a reason for an action.Tatoeba #11653500 by carlosalberto, translation #3689978 by karloelkebekio
- É porque ela me ama.It's because she loves me.This sentence provides another example of using porque to justify an emotion.Tatoeba #2621188 by alexmarcelo, translation #2021206 by Spamster
- Ele não veio porque estava ocupado.He didn't come because he was busy
- Ele não comeu, pois estava doente.He didn't eat, for he was sick
- Visto que o tempo estava ruim, não fomos à praia.Since the weather was bad, we didn't go to the beach
- Não fui à festa porque estava cansado.I didn't go to the party because I was tired
- Não fui à festa. É que estava muito ocupado.I didn't go to the party. It's just that I was very busy
- Não fui à festa, que estava chovendo.I didn't go to the party because it was raining
- 900 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are discussing why he is late.
- BeatrizVocê chegou atrasado porque houve trânsito?Did you arrive late because there was traffic?
- RodrigoSim, eu cheguei tarde porque o ônibus quebrou.Yes, I arrived late because the bus broke down.
- BeatrizQue pena, eu estava preocupada.That's a pity, I was worried.
- RodrigoObrigado, mas agora eu já estou aqui.Thanks, but I am here now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations and entries porque, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries porque, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
