porque
/por-keh/
Just like pointing to the cloud explains the umbrella, 'porque' points to the reason for something.
porque (Conjunction)
📝 In Action
No salgo porque llueve.
A1I'm not going out because it's raining.
Estudio español porque quiero viajar a México.
A1I'm studying Spanish because I want to travel to Mexico.
Llegué tarde porque había mucho tráfico.
A2I arrived late because there was a lot of traffic.
—¿Por qué no viniste a la fiesta? —Porque estaba muy cansado.
A2—Why didn't you come to the party? —Because I was very tired.
💡 Grammar Points
Answering 'Why?'
'Porque' is the answer to the question '¿Por qué?' (Why?). Think of it as a pair: '¿Por qué?' asks the question, and 'porque' gives the answer.
Connecting Two Ideas
Use 'porque' to link a result with its cause. For example: [Result: I'm happy]... 'porque'... [Cause: it's Friday].
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'porque' and 'por qué'
Mistake: "Estudio español por qué me gusta."
Correction: Estudio español porque me gusta. Use 'porque' (one word) to mean 'because'. Use '¿por qué?' (two words, with an accent) to ask 'why?'.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'Because' Bridge
Think of 'porque' as a bridge. On one side, you have an action or situation. On the other side, you have the reason. 'Porque' connects them. 'No fui a la playa' (I didn't go to the beach) --> [porque] --> 'hacía frío' (it was cold).
When written as 'el porqué', it becomes a 'thing' you can talk about—it's 'the reason' itself.
porque (Noun)
📝 In Action
No entiendo el porqué de tu enojo.
B1I don't understand the reason for your anger.
Ella nunca explicó el porqué de su decisión.
B1She never explained the reason for her decision.
Todo en esta vida tiene un porqué.
B2Everything in this life has a reason.
💡 Grammar Points
'The Reason' as a Noun
When you see 'el porqué', it's a noun. It acts just like 'el libro' (the book) or 'el problema' (the problem). You can say 'el porqué' (the reason) or 'los porqués' (the reasons).
Always Has an Accent
As a noun, 'porqué' is always written as one word with an accent on the 'e'. This helps you tell it apart from 'porque' (because).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Article 'el'
Mistake: "No sé porqué."
Correction: No sé el porqué. When you mean 'the reason' as a standalone thing, you need to include 'el' or 'un' before it, just like any other noun.
⭐ Usage Tips
When to Use 'el porqué'
Use this when you want to talk about 'the reason' as a concept. It's common after verbs like 'entender' (to understand), 'saber' (to know), or 'explicar' (to explain).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: porque
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I don't know the reason'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the simplest way to remember the difference between 'porque' and 'por qué'?
Here's an easy trick! '¿Por qué?' (two words, accent) is for asking questions: 'Why?'. 'Porque' (one word, no accent) is for giving answers: 'Because...'. Questions and answers!
And what about 'el porqué'?
Think of 'el porqué' as a noun, like 'el libro' (the book). It means 'the reason' itself. If you can replace it with 'la razón' in the sentence, you're probably using it correctly. For example, 'No entiendo el porqué' is the same as 'No entiendo la razón'.