por quévsporque
/por KEH/
/POR-keh/
💡 Quick Rule
Use 'por qué' (two words, with accent) for questions. Use 'porque' (one word) for answers.
Think: Questions need space ('por qué'). Answers are close together ('porque'). Also, the question mark's friend is the accent mark (`?` and `´`).
- 'El porqué' (one word, with accent) is a noun meaning 'the reason', as in 'No entiendo el porqué' (I don't understand the reason).
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | por qué | porque | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Question & Answer | ¿Por qué estudias español? | Porque me encantan los viajes. | 'Por qué' asks for the reason. 'Porque' provides the reason. |
| Sentence Role | Dime por qué te ríes. | Me río porque el chiste es bueno. | 'Por qué' introduces a question inside a statement. 'Porque' introduces the explanation. |
| Structure | Necesito saber por qué no funciona. | No funciona porque no tiene batería. | The 'why' (the question) is two words with an accent. The 'because' (the answer) is one word. |
✅ When to Use "por qué" / porque
por qué
Why? (Used to ask for a reason)
/por KEH/
Direct questions
¿Por qué no vienes?
Why aren't you coming?
Indirect questions
No sé por qué está triste.
I don't know why he is sad.
Standalone question
-No voy a la fiesta. -¿Por qué?
-I'm not going to the party. -Why?
porque
Because (Used to give a reason or explanation)
/POR-keh/
Answering a 'why' question
No voy porque estoy cansado.
I'm not going because I'm tired.
Giving a reason
Llegué tarde porque había mucho tráfico.
I arrived late because there was a lot of traffic.
Connecting ideas
Estudio español porque quiero viajar.
I study Spanish because I want to travel.
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "por qué":
¿Por qué estás aprendiendo español?
Why are you learning Spanish?
With "porque":
Aprendo español porque quiero viajar a México.
I'm learning Spanish because I want to travel to Mexico.
The Difference: This is the classic pair. 'Por qué' (two words, accent) asks the question. 'Porque' (one word, no accent) gives the answer. They work together.
With "por qué":
No entiendo por qué la tienda está cerrada.
I don't understand why the store is closed.
With "porque":
La tienda está cerrada porque es domingo.
The store is closed because it's Sunday.
The Difference: 'Por qué' is used for indirect questions (when you're wondering 'why' about something). 'Porque' is used to state the reason directly.
🎨 Visual Comparison
'Por qué' asks the question (Why?). 'Porque' gives the answer (Because...).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
¿Porque no me llamaste?
¿Por qué no me llamaste?
Questions, both direct and indirect, always use the two-word, accented form 'por qué'.
Estoy feliz por qué es mi cumpleaños.
Estoy feliz porque es mi cumpleaños.
When you're giving a reason ('because'), you must use the single-word, unaccented form 'porque'.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Por qué vs Porque
Question 1 of 2
Choose the correct option: '¿___ no vienes a la fiesta?'
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
I've also seen 'el porqué' and 'por que'. What's the difference?
'El porqué' (one word with an accent) is a noun that means 'the reason'. For example, 'No sé el porqué de su decisión' (I don't know the reason for his decision). 'Por que' (two words, no accent) is much less common and means 'for which', usually in more formal or literary contexts.
Is the pronunciation different between 'por qué' and 'porque'?
Yes, the stress is different. In 'por qué' (the question), the stress is on the second word: por QUÉ. In 'porque' (the answer), the stress is on the first syllable: PORque. This small difference is a key clue when listening to native speakers.