parce que
/paʁ.s(ə) kə/
The French phrase parce que means "because."
parce que is a conjunction used to introduce a reason or an explanation for something.
Which one should you use?
While parce que is the standard way to provide a reason, car is a more formal alternative used primarily in written French to introduce an explanation.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /paʁ.s(ə) kə/. It has 2 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use parce que to mean "because of" followed by a noun. However, parce que must be followed by a subject and a verb.
Did you know?
- The phrase parce que actually means 'by this that' when you look at its ancient origins. It evolved from the Old French expression 'par cel que' where 'cel' acted as a demonstrative pronoun.
- When children are asked 'why' repeatedly, they may simply answer parce que on its own to mean 'just because'.
- While parce que introduces a reason, French has a separate word puisque for when the reason is already known to the listener, similar to 'since'.
Examples in context
- Je ne mange pas parce que je n'ai pas faim.I am not eating because I am not hungry.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking on the phone about a canceled plan.
- LucasPourquoi tu ne viens pas ce soir ?Why are you not coming tonight?
- EmmaJe reste chez moi parce que je suis très fatiguée.I am staying home because I am very tired.
- LucasTu es malade ?Are you sick?
- EmmaNon, juste une longue journée de travail.No, just a long day of work.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry parce que, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries parce, parce que, que, CC BY-SA 4.0.
