How to Say Why and Because in French: Pourquoi, Parce Que
Why in French is pourquoi; because is parce que. Learn the pronunciation, the formal car alternative, and pourquoi pas - why not.
Why in French is pourquoi, pronounced /poor-KWAH/. Because is parce que /pars kuh/ - they form a natural question-answer pair, just like in English. In writing, car is a more formal alternative to parce que, used mid-sentence.
Quick answer
Why in French is pourquoi, pronounced /poor-KWAH/. Because is parce que /pars kuh/ - they form a natural question-answer pair, just like in English. In writing, car is a more formal alternative to parce que, used mid-sentence.
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Pourquoi: asking why
Pourquoi + verb: pourquoi tu pars ? (why are you leaving?). Bonus standalone phrase: pourquoi pas (why not) - genuinely useful on its own.
Parce que: answering because
Elides to parce qu’ before a vowel: parce qu’il pleut (because it’s raining). The natural question-answer pair mirrors English exactly: - Pourquoi ? - Parce que…
Car: the written alternative
More formal/literary register, used mid-sentence without a preceding question - unlike parce que, which directly answers pourquoi. Compare: il est resté chez lui, car il pleuvait (formal/written) vs il est resté chez lui parce qu’il pleuvait (neutral, works anywhere). Car can never start a sentence on its own - it always connects to what came before. For the register logic behind this distinction, see what is French register.
Common patterns
C’est pourquoi (that’s why), pour quelle raison (for what reason - formal).
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Questions about this note
What's the difference between parce que and car?
Both mean "because"; car is more formal/written, parce que is the everyday default that directly answers pourquoi.
How do you say "why not" in French?
pourquoi pas.
Does parce que elide before a vowel?
Yes - parce qu'il, parce qu'elle.
How do you say "that's why"?
c'est pourquoi.
Can you start a sentence with car?
No - car always connects to a preceding clause, unlike parce que which can open an answer.