por qué

See also: porque, porqué, porquê, por que, and por quê

Asturian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /poɾ ˈke/, [poɾ ˈke]

Adverb

por qué

1. why (for what reason)

Spanish

Etymology

From por (“for”) +‎ qué (“what”). Compare porque (“because”), porqué (“a reason why”) and por que.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /poɾ ˈke/ [poɾ ˈke]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Syllabification: por qué

Adverb

por qué

1. why, for what reason
   • 2007, King Juan Carlos I of Spain to Hugo Chávez, quoted in The Telegraph (11/11/2007) [src]:

     ¿Por qué no te callas?

     Why don’t you shut up?

   ¿Por qué no viniste ayer a la fiesta?

   Why didn't you come to the party yesterday?

   No comprendo por qué te pones así.

   I don't understand why you're angry like that.

Further reading

• “por qué”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28