Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA |
|---|---|
| de ce | [deˈt͡ʃe] (narrow) |
| pentru ce | /ˈpen.tru t͡ʃe/ (word by word) |
The standard way to ask why when inquiring about a reason or a cause is to use de ce. While de ce is the primary interrogative, the phrase pentru ce can also be used, though it often shifts the meaning toward asking for a specific purpose or object.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase de ce literally translates to "of what" or "from what".
Which one should you use?
de ce is used for the general question of why a reason or cause exists. In contrast, pentru ce is more specific and means "for what", typically used when asking about a purpose or a particular object. Additionally, pentru ce can function as a noun phrase meaning "the reason".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are asking why in the sense of "why should I" or "why one should", de ce is often followed by the particle să and the subjunctive mood.
Did you know?
- In Romanian, the word for 'why' is written as two separate words de ce, but if you write it as one word dece, it changes the meaning entirely.
- The preposition pentru likely evolved from the Latin phrase per intrō, meaning 'through the inside'.
- While de ce asks for a reason, Romanian has a distinct way of asking 'why' when the speaker is expressing annoyance or disbelief, often using the phrase de ce naibă.
Examples in context
- Nu știm de ce.We don't know why.This sentence shows how to use de ce to express a lack of knowledge about a reason.Tatoeba #4886136 by elenacristina260, translation #2273791 by CK
- De ce bei apă?Why are you drinking water?This sentence demonstrates using de ce to ask about the reason for an action.Tatoeba #5184426 by fathe, translation #687774 by lukaszpp
- De ce nu știau?Why didn't they know?This sentence shows how to use de ce to ask about the reason someone did not know something.Tatoeba #7864565 by CataG, translation #6733247 by Eccles17
- De ce ai ales această carieră?Why did you choose this career?
- Pentru ce ai venit la această conferință?Why did you come to this conference?
- De ce nu ai venit la petrecere?Why didn't you come to the party?
- Cum de ai reușit să faci așa ceva?How come you managed to do that?
- De ce naiba nu mă asculți?Why on earth don't you listen to me?
- Pă' ce vii atât de târziu?Why are you coming so late?
- 434 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Andrei and Maria are talking in their kitchen.
- AndreiMaria, de ce nu mănânci?Maria, why are you not eating?
- MariaNu am poftă de nimic.I don't have an appetite for anything.
- AndreiEști bolnavă?Are you sick?
- MariaNu, doar sunt obosită.No, I am just tired.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations and entries de ce, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (pentru, ce) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ce, de, de ce, pentru, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
