Spanish Conversation · Level 48
74 words
Spanish word
porqué
Pronunciation
IPA/poɾˈke/
Meaning
- masculine nounreason
Example
No entiendo el porqué de su decisión.
I don't understand the reason for his decision.
More examples
¿Cuál es el porqué de este cambio?
What is the reason for this change?
Core concept
A named cause or motive.
Common phrases
el porqué de
the reason for
los porqués de
the reasons for
Similar words
razón: Rational grounds or basis supporting a judgment or explanation.
motivo: Emotional or cognitive impulse behind a person's behavior.
causa: Immediate cause or factor that directly produces an event.
Definition in Spanish
Expresa el motivo o la causa de una acción o situación.
Word origin
Porqué is a nominalized form of por qué, and the written accent signals that the phrase has become a standalone noun meaning reason.
Usage tips
- In casual speech speakers often say la razón or el motivo instead, which avoids the frequent mistakes between porqué, porque, and por qué.
Other meanings
- motivenoun
- causenoun
Opposites
- casualidadcoincidencenoun