English–German

“why” in German

German

Alsowieso · weshalb

Pronunciation

IPA/vaˈʁʊm/

Example

Sag mir, warum du zu spät warst.

Tell me why you were late.

Illustration for warum (why)

How to say “why” in German

“Why” in German is warum.

A thread is traced backward from an event to what caused it.

Full entry for warum: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with warum

Ich weiß nicht, warum er das überhaupt macht.

I don't know why he does that at all.

Tips for using warum

  • Warum asks for a reason, whereas wozu and wofür commonly ask about a purpose or intended use.

Other German words for “why”

Wieso kommst du nicht?

Why aren't you coming?

Ich weiß nicht, weshalb er so traurig ist.

I don't know why he is so sad.

“why” in other languages