In Spanish, even the slightest factor, like an area or an accent mark, can change the that means of a sentence utterly.
This particularly applies to the Spanish por qué.
Don’t consider me? Carry on studying and be taught concerning the 4 Spanish por qués to learn the way!
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Distinction Between Por Qué, Porque, Porqué and Por Que
Having so many variations of what appears to be the identical phrase could be complicated.
However in actuality, the way in which you spell por que (and whether or not you place an accent or not) modifications its that means.
Let’s check out every of those 4 por ques, their English translations and an instance sentence for every.
| Spanish | English | Instance |
|---|---|---|
| Por qué | Why | ¿Por qué te gusta bailar? (Why do you want to bounce?) |
| Porque | As a result of | Me gusta bailar porque yo bailo bien. (I like to bounce as a result of I dance effectively.) |
| Porqué | Motive | No necesito un porqué para bailar. (I do not want a cause to bounce.) |
| Por que | Why, for which | Bailo bien. Esa es la razón por que me gusta. (I dance effectively. That’s the reason why/for which I prefer it.) |
The remainder of this publish will go into higher element of every one, however for now, get conversant in their meanings.
It’s additionally value noting that there’s a state of affairs the place all 4 por ques are typically grouped collectively: in texting!
When texting in Spanish, the por que is usually shortened to pk, pq, xk, or xq.
Por qué is probably the most usually used of the 4 porques. It means “why,” and it’s very straightforward to make use of as a result of it really works precisely the identical as in English.
If you need to ask why, write por qué. Discover that it’s fabricated from two separated phrases with an accent mark over the e.
Check out the next examples:
¿Por qué has venido? (Why have you ever come?)
¿Por qué no comes pizza? (Why don’t you eat pizza?)
¿Por qué te vas? (Why are you leaving?)
As a query phrase, it will also be utilized in oblique questions:
No sé por qué has venido. (I don’t know why you could have come.)
Me pregunto por qué no comes pizza. (I’m wondering why you don’t eat pizza.)
Quiero saber por qué te vas. (I need to know why you’re leaving.)
2. Porque — As a result of
In English, while you ask a query utilizing “why,” you’ll most likely acquire a spoken reply starting with “as a result of.” That is additionally true of Spanish, however our phrase for “as a result of” is definitely one other member of the “porque household.”
In Spanish “as a result of” is porque, and it’s written as one phrase with out an accent mark. Use this phrase solely when you’re giving your causes:
¿Por qué has venido? Porque tengo tiempo libre.
(Why have you ever come? As a result of I’ve some free time.)
¿Por qué no comes pizza? Porque no tengo hambre.
(Why don’t you eat pizza?) As a result of I’m not hungry.
¿Por qué te vas? Porque ya es muy tarde.
(Why are you leaving? As a result of it’s too late already.)
As in English, you will see that porque when reporting occasions as effectively:
Me dijo que no vendría porque no tenía tiempo.
(He advised me he wouldn’t come as a result of he didn’t have time.)
Mi hermana me contó que volvió porque se había olvidado la tarjeta de crédito.
(My sister advised me she got here again as a result of she had forgotten her bank card.)
Ella cube que no come porque no tiene hambre.
(She says she just isn’t consuming as a result of she just isn’t hungry.)
3. El Porqué — The Motive
That is the noun type of por que. El porqué is generally translated as “the rationale,” or much less generally as “why” (used as a noun).
It’s value noting although that the usage of porqué is definitely fairly uncommon—archaic, even—so don’t anticipate to run into it anytime quickly.
Porqué can be utilized with an article, be plural (as in English “whys” and “wherefores”), be modified by adjectives, and so forth. See this fascinating noun in motion:
No entiendo el porqué de tu decisión.
(I don’t perceive the rationale behind your determination.)
Me preguntó los porqués de mi decisión.
(He requested concerning the whys (the explanations/the causes) for my determination.)
Un gran porqué se nos presenta.
(A robust cause presents itself.)
4. Por Que — For Which
Por que (two phrases with out an accent mark) is unquestionably essentially the most troublesome and the least generally used of the 4 porques.
It may be translated as “for which,” however there are going to be occasions when you’ll have to translate it as “why” and even “in order that.”
It’s current solely in two very particular conditions, so should you keep in mind the next two guidelines, you’ll have no downside with it:
1. Write por que when you could have a preposition (por) and a relative pronoun (que).
In these circumstances, it is possible for you to to translate it as “for which.”
Esa es la razón por que vine.
(That’s the reason for which I got here.)
Este es el motivo por que no llamé.
(That is the rationale for which I didn’t name.)
2. Write por que when a phrasal verb utilizing por is adopted by que.
Examples of Spanish phrasal verbs that use por could be optar por (to go for, determine), preocuparse por (to fret about, to care for), luchar por (to battle for), decidirse por (to go for, determine), and so forth.
Listed below are some examples:
Opté por que no vinieras. (I made a decision that you just wouldn’t come.)
Me preocupo por que no te pase nada. (I take care in order that nothing occurs to you.)
Lucho por que haya paz en el mundo. (I battle so that there’s peace on this planet.)
Hice lo que pude por que no llegáramos tarde. (I did what I may in order that we wouldn’t be late).
As you may see, por qué is sort of puzzling and it tends to be wrongly used even by native Spanish audio system!
So don’t fear should you can’t grasp it directly. Begin with the simple ones—por qué and porque—then slowly begin training the others.
Watching genuine Spanish movies may help to see this sort of grammar utilized in context. You will discover movies on YouTube which can be prone to comprise these variations.
FluentU additionally has a set of movies, they usually include interactive captions that designate vocabulary in context. By the captions, you may confidently know which por qué is getting used and the way it capabilities.
With fixed publicity to Spanish, you’ll shortly develop into conversant in these difficult phrases and their mannerisms!
Obtain:
This weblog publish is accessible as a handy and moveable PDF that you just
can take anyplace.
Click on right here to get a duplicate. (Obtain)
