Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA |
|---|---|
| dlaczego | /dlaˈt͡ʂɛ.ɡɔ/ /dlɒˈt͡ʂɛ.ɡɔ/ (Middle, Polish) |
| czemu | /ˈt͡ʂɛ.mu/ |
| po co | /ˈpɔ t͡sɔ/ |
| na co | /ˈna t͡sɔ/ |
The primary way to ask for a reason is with dlaczego. If you want to ask "for what purpose," you can use po co, which is often used in rhetorical questions to express that an action is unnecessary or pointless. For more specific inquiries, z jakiego powodu means "for what reason" and w jakim celu means "for what purpose".
Which one should you use?
While dlaczego is the standard form for asking for a reason, czemu serves as a slightly more informal alternative. Po co differs from the others as it focuses on the purpose or the "point" of an action, often implying that the action is not worth the effort.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Dlaczego is the most neutral and versatile form, suitable for both formal and informal situations. Czemu is considered informal. Po co and na co are colloquial forms.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Dlaczego is the most standard and versatile form of "why" and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The word dlaczego has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /dlaˈtʂɛ.ɡɔ/.
Did you know?
- The word czemu is the dative case of the word co, which means 'what'.
- Using the phrase na co to mean 'why' is quite colloquial and literally translates to 'on what' or 'for what'.
- Polish provides specific formal alternatives like z jakiego powodu, which literally translates to 'from what reason'.
Examples in context
- Czemu on tu jest?Why is he here?This sentence uses czemu to ask for a reason for someone's presence.Tatoeba #6373399 by mojeanin, translation #36344 by CK
- Po co się trudzić?Why bother?This sentence uses po co to express that an action might be pointless.Tatoeba #7710943 by qmak, translation #3731482 by CM
- Czemu jesz na noc?Why do you eat at night?This sentence uses czemu to ask for a reason regarding an action.Tatoeba #11764215 by mojeanin, translation #12084097 by sundown
- Dlaczego nie przyszedłeś na zebranie?Why didn't you come to the meeting?
- W jakim celu złożyłeś tę skargę?For what purpose did you file this complaint?
- Czemu wybrałeś tę restaurację?Why did you choose this restaurant?
- Po co kupiłeś ten telewizor?What for did you buy this TV?
- 1007 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomasz and Anna are talking in the kitchen.
- TomaszDlaczego nie zjadłaś kolacji?Why didn't you eat dinner?
- AnnaNie czuję się najlepiej.I don't feel well.
- TomaszDlaczego tak późno wróciłaś?Why did you come back so late?
- AnnaMiałam dużo pracy.I had a lot of work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations and entries dlaczego, czemu, po co, na co, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries co, czemu, dlaczego, na, po, po co, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
