Por Que Meaning: 4 Ways To Use Por Que In Spanish (With Examples)
There are four different types of porque in Spanish, and even though they are pronounced almost equally, their uses and meanings vary.
Today we’re going to learn the difference in por qué vs porqué vs porque vs por que meaning and we’ll check many examples so that you can learn them easily and definitively!
Spring Languages (a platform I’m a co-founder) has a detailed video explaining the differences of the 4 porqués.
Check it out!
1. The 4 porqués in Spanish grammar + examples
Spanish four porqués are pronounced and written similarly.
Yet, the slight differences between the four, are essential to use the correct one every time.
So before studying each of them separately, we will compare in a chart all porqué meaning, spelling and accent marking.
The All-in-One Chart of the 4 Porqués in Spanish
| Spelling | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Por qué (stressed on -qué) | why | ¿Por qué te fuiste de la fiesta? Why did you leave the party? |
| Porqué (stressed on -qué) | reason, cause | Hay un porqué para todo. There’s a reason for everything. |
| Porque (stressed on por-) | because | Me fui porque tenía sueño. I left because I was tired. |
| Por que (stressed on por-) | for which, why | Esta es la razón por (la) que me fui. This is the reason why I left. |
2. Por qué meaning and pronunciation
Por qué means why.
It is written in two separate words (the preposition “por” and the question word “qué”) and it is used in direct and indirect questions.
The phrase is pronounced as /pɔr ke/:
- The first word is pronounced as /pɔr/.
- The second word is pronounced as /ke/.
When pronounced together, “por qué” is pronounced as /pɔr ke/. Remember to stress the accent on the “é” in “qué,” indicating the emphasis in speech.
Direct questions are the ones that we ask directly to someone, like:
¿Por qué no fuiste al trabajo? – Why didn’t you go to work?
¿Por qué estás tan cansado? – Why are you so tired?
Indirect questions are reported questions embedded in a sentence. They are actually statements.
For example:
La niña preguntó por qué no podía salir. – The girl asked why she couldn’t go out.
No entiendo por qué estás nerviosa. – I don’t understand why you’re nervous.
3. The meaning of porqué in Spanish: significance and usage
Porqué means cause or reason.
It is written as one word and it is a masculine noun.
Porqué is pronounced as pohr-keh. The stress falls on the second syllable, qué.
It can be preceded by a masculine article and by a possessive. It has a singular and a plural form:
- el porqué
- los porqués.
Take a look!
Ahora sé el (article) porqué de su enojo. – Now I know the reason for his anger.
Ojalá entendiera sus (possessive) porqués. – I wish I could understand his reasons.
4. Por que: only two different uses
Por que is probably the most difficult of the four, but luckily it is also the one that we use less in Spanish sentences 😊
It has two different uses.
The uses of por que: meaning + examples
| Por + que structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Por que (Preposition POR + relative pronoun QUE) | For which, why Can also take an intermediate article (el, la, los, las). | Quiere saber el motivo por (el) que no fui. (He wants to know the reason why I didn’t go.) La razón por (la) que llegué tarde fue el tráfico. (The reason why I arrived late was the traffic.) |
| Por que (Verb or adjective that always requires POR after it + conjunction QUE) | For + subordinate clause Phrasal verbs Luchar por (fight for) Preocuparse por (worry about, care about) Optar por (opt for) Adjectives Estar + adjective + por (be + adjective + preposition) | Los padres luchan por que sus hijos estén bien. (Parents fight for their kids’ wellbeing.) Optamos por que me quedara. (We opted for me to stay.) Estoy ansiosa por que llegues. (I’m anxious for your arrival.) Estoy emocionada por que vengas. (I’m excited for you to come.) |
5. Porque meaning + reason for something
Porque means because.
It is written as one word and it is followed immediately by the reason for something:
No voy a trabajar porque estoy enfermo. – I’m not going to work because I’m ill. (reason)
Estudio español porque me gusta. – I’m studying Spanish because I like it. (reason)
Por qué and porque are generally used together.
To the question ¿Por qué? We always answer Porque…
These two are also the easiest and most used of the four porqués in a Spanish conversation.
¿Por qué estás despierto todavía? – Why are you still awake?
Porque estoy estudiando. – Because I’m studying.
6. How else can we say porque in Spanish sentences?
There are several phrases that mean porque in Spanish. We can use them to express a reason.
Look!
Alternatives to Porque in Spanish
| Spanish | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Debido a | Due to | No hubo fiesta debido al mal tiempo. There was no party due to bad weather. |
| Puesto que | Given that, since | No hubo fiesta, puesto que había mal tiempo. There was no party since the weather was bad. |
| Ya que | Since, as | No compré nada, ya que la tienda estaba cerrada. I didn’t buy anything, as the store was closed. |
| Como (at the beginning of a sentence) | Since, as | Como hacía frío, no salí. As it was cold, I didn’t go out. |
| A causa de | Due to | No fuimos a causa de la lluvia. We didn’t go due to the rain. |
Check the following video to learn more!
7. Practice Section – ¿Por qué vs porqué vs porque vs por que: Use the Correct Form!
I. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word: porque, por que, por qué or porqué.
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8. Conversation Based Chunking to help you study all the porques!
Mastering the differences between “porque” vs “por que” vs”por qué” and “porqué” is essential for effectively communicating in Spanish. The intricacies of these words can be challenging, but with practice and understanding, you can navigate them with confidence.
By chunking conversations and using Conversation Based Chunking you can incorporate these distinct terms appropriately, you can enhance your Spanish fluency and clarity.
Practice using them in context and pay attention to subtle variations to ensure accurate and meaningful communication.
