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How to Say "reasons" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “reasons” is “razones” — use 'razones' when asking for justifications or motivations behind an action or decision, similar to 'grounds' or 'justification'..

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razones

rah-SOH-nays/raˈθo.nes/

nounA1general
Use 'razones' when asking for justifications or motivations behind an action or decision, similar to 'grounds' or 'justification'.
A simple illustration showing a large blue sphere balanced stably atop three smaller, brightly colored rectangular blocks, symbolizing justifications supporting a conclusion.

Examples

¿Cuáles son tus razones para cambiar de trabajo?

What are your reasons for changing jobs?

Por razones de seguridad, la carretera está cerrada.

For safety reasons, the road is closed.

Ella me explicó sus razones, pero sigo sin entender.

She explained her reasons to me, but I still don't understand.

Feminine Plural

Remember that 'razones' is always used with feminine articles and adjectives because its singular form, 'la razón,' is feminine (even though it ends in 'n').

Why vs. Reason

While 'por qué' means 'why,' 'las razones' refers to the actual explanation or justification. You often use 'por' before 'razones': 'por razones de salud' (for health reasons).

Using the wrong preposition

Mistake: “Hice esto para razones personales.”

Correction: Hice esto por razones personales. (Use 'por' to mean 'on account of' or 'due to.')

causas

/KOW-sahs//ˈkausas/

nounA1general
Use 'causas' when referring to the underlying factors or origins that produce an effect, often used in investigative or scientific contexts.
A row of falling dominoes where the first one is pushing the next.

Examples

Estamos investigando las causas del accidente.

We are investigating the causes of the accident.

Ella defiende muchas causas sociales.

She defends many social causes.

El abogado tiene varias causas pendientes.

The lawyer has several legal cases pending.

Making it Plural

To talk about more than one 'causa', just add an 's' to the end.

motivos

moh-TEE-bohs/moˈtiβos/

nounA2general
Use 'motivos' when referring to the specific explanations or incentives that drive someone to do something, often implying a personal or emotional basis.
A simple illustration showing a red square block perfectly balanced on top of three distinct, simple blue cylindrical pillars, emphasizing support.

Examples

Tengo muchos motivos para estar feliz hoy.

I have many reasons to be happy today.

¿Cuáles fueron los motivos de su renuncia?

What were the reasons for his resignation?

No hay motivos para preocuparse; todo está bajo control.

There are no grounds for worry; everything is under control.

Always Plural

Since 'motivos' is the plural form of the noun 'motivo,' remember that any adjectives describing it must also be plural and masculine (e.g., 'buenos motivos').

Using 'for'

When you want to say 'for reasons' or 'because of reasons,' you usually use the preposition 'por' in Spanish: 'por motivos de seguridad' (for security reasons).

Confusing 'Motivo' and 'Motivos'

Mistake: “Using 'motivos' when you mean a single reason: 'Solo tengo un motivos.'”

Correction: Use the singular 'motivo': 'Solo tengo un motivo.' (I only have one reason.)

explicaciones

eks-plee-kah-SYOH-nehs/eksplikaˈsjones/

nounA2general
Use 'explicaciones' when you are seeking or giving an account of why something happened or why someone behaved in a certain way, focusing on clarification.
A teacher pointing to a colorful drawing of a plant growing from a seed to show how it works.

Examples

No necesito tus explicaciones ahora mismo.

I don't need your explanations right now.

El profesor dio explicaciones muy claras sobre el examen.

The teacher gave very clear explanations about the exam.

Me debes un par de explicaciones por lo que pasó ayer.

You owe me a few explanations for what happened yesterday.

Plurality and Gender

This is a feminine word. Because it ends in 'es', it refers to more than one explanation. Use 'las' or 'unas' with it.

Drop the Accent

While the singular form 'explicación' has an accent mark on the 'o', the plural form 'explicaciones' does not because the stress naturally stays on the second-to-last syllable.

Spelling with X

Mistake: “esplicaciones”

Correction: explicaciones (always starts with 'ex-' in Spanish, just like in English).

Keeping the Accent

Mistake: “explicaciónes”

Correction: explicaciones (the accent is removed when making this word plural).

Choosing between 'razones' and 'motivos'

Learners often confuse 'razones' and 'motivos'. While both can mean 'reasons', 'razones' is more general for justifications, while 'motivos' often implies more personal or underlying incentives driving an action.

Related Translations

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