por que
/puʁ ˈke/
The Portuguese phrase for why is por que. Wiktionary also lists por quê.
Meaning: (interrogative) for what reason (adv)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| por que | /puʁ ˈke/ (Brazil) /puɾ ˈke/ (São Paulo) |
| por quê | /puʁˈke/ (Brazil) /puɾˈke/ (São Paulo) |
The interrogative por que is used to ask for a reason or motive. If you need to be more explicit or polite in a formal context, you can use Por qual motivo.
Which one should you use?
The forms change based on their position in the sentence. Use por que when it appears in the middle of a sentence. Use por quê when the word appears at the end of a sentence or stands alone. Do not confuse these with the noun porquê, which means 'the reason' and is used with an article like 'o'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form por quê is specifically used when the phrase is placed at the end of a sentence or stands alone.
How do you pronounce it?
/puʁ ˈke/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the interrogative por que (why) with the conjunction porque, which means 'because'.
Did you know?
- The Portuguese word que is a distant relative of the English word 'who'. Both originate from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root used to ask questions.
- In casual Brazilian Portuguese, the phrase por que is often shortened or blended in speech, but the strict distinction between the four forms of 'why/because' remains a common point of correction in writing.
- The difference between por que and porque is purely visual in many spoken contexts. Listeners must rely entirely on syntax and tone to distinguish a question from an answer.
Examples in context
- E por que não?And why not?This example shows how to use por que to ask why not.Tatoeba #1227713 by alexmarcelo, translation #1039433 by GPHemsley
- Eu sei por quê.I know why.This sentence demonstrates using por quê at the end of a sentence.Tatoeba #4505547 by carlosalberto, translation #2858842 by Amastan
- Não sei por quê.I don't know why.Tatoeba #1378138 by tulio, translation #1784975 by Amastan
- Por que você está atrasado?Why are you late?
- Eu não entendo por que ele fez isso.I don't understand why he did that.
- Por qual motivo você não compareceu à reunião?For what reason didn't you attend the meeting?
- Eu gostaria de saber por qual motivo o projeto foi adiado.I would like to know for what reason the project was postponed.
- Eu não entendi, por quê?I didn't understand, why?
- Por qual motivo mesmo?What was the reason again?
- Por que motivo você estava chorando?Why were you crying?
- 4328 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking in a café about a change in plans.
- RodrigoPor que você não quer ir?Why don't you want to go?
- CamilaEu estou muito cansada hoje.I am very tired today.
- RodrigoMas por que o cansaço repentino?But why the sudden tiredness?
- CamilaTrabalhei até tarde ontem.I worked late yesterday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations and entries por que, por quê, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries por, por que, que, quê, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
