11 Different Ways To Ask And Say Why In Spanish For Questions And Reasoning (With Example Conversation)
Just imagine that you’re walking through a mercado in Mexico City and suddenly, you spot a peculiar fruit you’ve never seen before. You’re intrigued, so you turn to the vendor and ask:
- “¿Por qué esta fruta es tan popular aquí?” (Why is this fruit so popular here?)
The vendor smiles and responds:
- “Porque tiene un sabor único y muchos beneficios para la salud.” (Because it has a unique taste and many benefits.)
Although the direct translation is a little bit different than the one we put in the brackets, you can see how why in Spanish functions: it can serve as a question, and it can be used for reasoning as well.
And if you’re learning Spanish, you can become confused by the different forms of “porque” and “por qué“.
Don’t worry; you’re not alone! Spring Spanish has created an excellent video explaining these differences, which you can watch here:
And now, let’s explore the 11 ways to say and ask why in Spanish!
4 ways to ask why in Spanish
Spanish has different expressions to ask “why” in different situations.
These are the most common Spanish phrases you can use to ask about reasons behind actions, motives, or explanations.
1. ¿Por qué? (Why?)
Effortless Answers
“¿Por qué?” is the most common and all-around way to ask why in Spanish.
It’s considered neutral and can be used in formal and informal situations. Here are some examples:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
¿Por qué llegaste tarde? | Why did you arrive late? |
¿Por qué el cielo es azul? | Why is the sky blue? |
¿Por qué no me llamaste ayer? | Why didn’t you call me yesterday? |
2. ¿Por qué razón? (For what reason?)
This phrase is slightly more formal than “¿Por qué?” and underlines the desire for a specific reason.
It’s often used in serious or professional contexts. Here are some examples so you can see it in action:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
¿Por qué razón cancelaron el evento? | For what reason did they cancel the event? |
¿Por qué razón decidiste cambiar de trabajo? | For what reason did you decide to change jobs? |
¿Por qué razón no asististe a la reunión? | For what reason didn’t you attend the meeting? |
3. ¿Cuál es la razón por la que…? (What is the reason that…?)
This expression is more formal and is mostly used in academic settings. It’s a polite way to ask for a detailed explanation.
What is the reason…
Spanish | English |
---|---|
¿Cuál es la razón por la que los precios han subido tanto? | What is the reason that prices have risen so much? |
¿Cuál es la razón por la que decidiste estudiar medicina? | What is the reason that you decided to study medicine? |
¿Cuál es la razón por la que este proyecto es tan importante? | What is the reason that this project is so important? |
4. ¿Qué motivo hay para…? (What motive is there to…?)
This phrase is used to ask about the true motivation behind an action or decision. It’s neutral in tone and can be used in different situations. If you can’t imagine it, we’ll help you out:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
¿Qué motivo hay para cambiar nuestra estrategia ahora? | What motive is there to change our strategy now? |
¿Qué motivo hay para no decirle la verdad? | What motive is there to not tell him/her the truth? |
¿Qué motivo hay para celebrar hoy? | What motive is there to celebrate today? |
7 ways to use why in Spanish for reasoning
Spanish is a strange language: as you can see, why in Spanish can also be used for reasoning and to provide justifications.
These 7 phrases in this section will help you articulate your thoughts clearly – in casual conversations and in formal presentations, too.
5. Porque (Because)
“Porque” is the most common way to give a reason in Spanish. It’s neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Check these examples (they can help you out in different situations):
Spanish | English |
---|---|
No fui a la fiesta porque estaba enfermo. | I didn’t go to the party because I was sick. |
Me gusta este restaurante porque la comida es deliciosa. | I like this restaurant because the food is delicious. |
Estudio español porque quiero viajar a Sudamérica. | I study Spanish because I want to travel to South America. |
6. Ya que (Since)
“Ya que” is a slightly more formal way to introduce a reason. It’s used in writing or more sophisticated speech.
Like this:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Decidí caminar, ya que hacía buen tiempo. | I decided to walk, since the weather was nice. |
Ya que estás aquí, ¿podrías ayudarme con esto? | Since you’re here, could you help me with this? |
No pudimos terminar el proyecto, ya que nos faltaba información. | We couldn’t finish the project, since we were missing information. |
7. Debido a que (Due to the fact that)
This phrase is more formal and is mainly used in academic or professional settings when you truly want to underline a cause-effect relationship.
Here are some real-life examples for reasoning.
Spanish | English |
---|---|
El vuelo se retrasó debido a que había mal tiempo. | The flight was delayed due to the fact that there was bad weather. |
Debido a que no teníamos los materiales, tuvimos que posponer la construcción. | Due to the fact that we didn’t have the materials, we had to postpone the construction. |
El experimento falló debido a que la muestra estaba contaminada. | The experiment failed due to the fact that the sample was contaminated. |
8. Como (As / Since)
“Como” is a word that can be used to introduce a reason in a more casual way. It’s common in everyday speech:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Como hacía frío, me puse un abrigo. | As it was cold, I put on a coat. |
No pude dormir como tenía mucho en qué pensar. | I couldn’t sleep as I had a lot to think about. |
Como no tenía dinero, no pude comprar el regalo. | Since I didn’t have money, I couldn’t buy the gift. |
9. Por eso (That’s why)
“Por eso” is used for stating a conclusion or result based on a previously stated reason. It’s neutral and common in both spoken and written Spanish.
Por eso‘ in Spanish sentences:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Había mucho tráfico, por eso llegué tarde. | There was a lot of traffic, that’s why I arrived late. |
No me gusta el café, por eso siempre pido té. | I don’t like coffee, that’s why I always order tea. |
El libro era muy interesante, por eso lo leí en un día. | The book was very interesting, that’s why I read it in one day. |
10. Por lo tanto (Therefore)
This phrase is a bit more formal and is usually used in academic contexts to draw logical conclusions.
Maybe you can combine ‘por lo tanto‘ with some other advanced Spanish vocabulary:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
Los costos han aumentado, por lo tanto, debemos ajustar nuestro presupuesto. | Costs have increased, therefore, we must adjust our budget. |
El experimento fue exitoso, por lo tanto, podemos proceder con la siguiente fase. | The experiment was successful, therefore, we can proceed with the next phase. |
No hay suficientes pruebas, por lo tanto, no podemos llegar a una conclusión definitiva. | There isn’t enough evidence, therefore, we can’t reach a definitive conclusion. |
11. A causa de (Because of)
“A causa de” is used to indicate a direct cause for something. It’s slightly more formal than “porque” and is mainly useful in explanations or reports.
Like in these cases:
Spanish | English |
---|---|
El concierto fue cancelado a causa de la lluvia. | The concert was canceled because of the rain. |
A causa de su esfuerzo, logró graduarse con honores. | Because of her effort, she managed to graduate with honors. |
Muchas especies están en peligro a causa de la deforestación. | Many species are endangered because of deforestation. |
A reasoning debate using why in Spanish
Now that we have covered every possible aspect of why in Spanish, it’s time to have a situation again in Spanish.
Imagine Ana and Pablo, two friends planning their next vacation. They’re debating whether to visit Spain or Mexico, using all of the different expressions we’ve learned to ask why in Spanish and provide reasons.
(Maybe you can check out Spanish travel phrases, too. They are helpful.)
Let’s read this conversation:
Ana: “¿Por qué quieres ir a España?” (Why do you want to go to Spain?
Pablo: “Porque siempre he querido visitar Barcelona y Madrid. ¿Por qué razón prefieres México?” (Because I’ve always wanted to visit Barcelona and Madrid. For what reason do you prefer Mexico?)
Ana: “Ya que me encanta la comida mexicana y las playas del Caribe. Además, ¿cuál es la razón por la que crees que España es mejor opción?” (Since I love Mexican food and Caribbean beaches. Also, what is the reason that you think Spain is a better option?)
Pablo: “Bueno, como España está en Europa, podríamos visitar otros países cercanos fácilmente. Por eso creo que es una mejor elección.” (Well, as Spain is in Europe, we could easily visit other nearby countries. That’s why I think it’s a better choice.)
Pretty good points made, right? Here’s how it continues:
Ana: “Entiendo tu punto, pero México tiene una rica cultura maya y azteca. Debido a que nos interesan las civilizaciones antiguas, México sería ideal.” (I understand your point, but Mexico has a rich Mayan and Aztec culture. Due to the fact that we’re interested in ancient civilizations, Mexico would be ideal.)
Pablo: “Es cierto. ¿Qué motivo hay para no considerar ambos en viajes separados?” (That’s true. What motive is there to not consider both in separate trips?)
Ana: “¡Excelente idea! A causa de nuestros diferentes intereses, podríamos disfrutar ambos destinos por separado.” (Excellent idea! Because of our different interests, we could enjoy both destinations separately.)
And here, we have a peaceful resolution:
Pablo: “Por lo tanto, ¿qué te parece si este año vamos a México y el próximo a España?” (Therefore, how about we go to Mexico this year and Spain next year?)
Ana: “¡Me encanta la idea! ¿Por qué no lo pensamos antes?” (I love the idea! Why didn’t we think of this before?)
Just like this, you can also learn to use why in Spanish. How? Let’s find out in the conclusion!
Practice different ways to say and ask why in Spanish
The best way to actually learn how to use these phrases and expressions is to use them in context. Practice here!
If you want, you can reach more Spanish exercises in our Full Practice Worksheet Library:
Learn common Spanish terms with confidence with Conversation Based Chunking
On Effortless Conversations, we’re not the biggest fans or learning with grammar. Instead, we use the method called Conversation Based Chunking. It’s a method that native speakers also use – even without realizing.
And actually, you use it, too, in your own mother tongue. It’s all about helping Spanish learners become more natural with the most common words and phrases used in Spanish – they are called chunks. These chunks are the building blocks of Spanish language.
With this approach, you’ll fully immerse yourself in Spanish with tv shows, internet media, you can browse through Spanish radio stations etc. The key to practice with chunks is to listen to the different phrases Spanish native speakers use (and also hear their accent). After that, you can use this phrase in different variations.
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