warum

German

Etymology

From Middle High German warumme, war umme, warumbe, war umbe, from Old High German wār umbe. Equivalent to wo (“where”) +‎ um (“in order to, for the purpose of”), thus “for what purpose”. Doublet of worum, but with the older vocalism preserved. Compare Dutch waarom, which has both meanings.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vaˈʁʊm/ (usual)
• IPA^(key): /ˈvaː.ʁʊm/ (never in isolation, but sometimes triggered by the intonation of a sentence)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊm

Adverb

warum

1. why; for what reason

   warum ist die Banane krumm - why is the banana bent

Derived terms

• irgendwarum

See also

• weshalb
• weswegen
• wieso

Further reading

• “warum” in Duden online
• “warum” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache