Why in Different Languages
Discover 'Why' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
Why is a small word that carries a mighty punch. It is a question that seeks explanation, understanding, and meaning. Asking 'why' is a fundamental part of being human, as it helps us make sense of the world around us. From a young age, we are driven to ask 'why?' – why is the sky blue, why do birds fly, why is water wet? This curiosity never truly leaves us, and as we grow older, our 'why' questions become more complex and profound.
The significance of 'why' extends beyond personal inquiry. It holds cultural importance in various philosophies, religions, and scientific disciplines. In many ways, the quest to understand 'why' has shaped human history and driven our progress.
For those interested in language and culture, understanding the translation of 'why' in different languages can offer fascinating insights. For instance, the Spanish translation of 'why' is 'por qué,' which stems from the phrase 'por el qué,' meaning 'for the which.' Meanwhile, in German, 'why' translates to 'warum,' which comes from an old Germanic phrase 'wara meaning 'why' and 'um' meaning 'around.'
Join us as we explore the translations of 'why' in different languages and cultures, shedding light on the rich history and significance of this small but mighty word.
Why
Why in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | hoekom | ||
| The Afrikaans word "hoekom" originates from the Dutch word "waarom", which in turn is derived from the Middle Dutch phrase "waer ombe", meaning 'for what purpose' | |||
| Amharic | እንዴት | ||
| The Amharic word "እንዴት" ("why") also means "how," "by what means," or "in what way." | |||
| Hausa | me ya sa | ||
| In Hausa, "me ya sa" can also mean "what is it" or "what is that?" | |||
| Igbo | gịnị kpatara | ||
| The word "gịnị kpatara" can also mean "what is the reason for" or "what caused" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | nahoana | ||
| Malagasy "nahoana" is a combination of "naho" ("how") and "ana" ("thing"), and can be used to ask about the reason or purpose of something. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | bwanji | ||
| The word "bwanji" in Nyanja (Chichewa) can also mean "how" or "in what manner". | |||
| Shona | sei | ||
| The word 'sei' in Shona also refers to the act of questioning and the reason or cause of something. | |||
| Somali | sababta | ||
| "Sababta" derives from the Arabic "sababa," meaning "cause" or "reason," and also refers to the "cause" or "reason" for something in Somali. | |||
| Sesotho | hobaneng | ||
| In Sesotho, "hobaneng" can also mean "for what purpose" or "with what intention". | |||
| Swahili | kwanini | ||
| In many dialects of Swahili, "kwanini" can also mean "how come" or "for what reason". | |||
| Xhosa | ngoba | ||
| The word 'ngoba' can also be used to mean 'because'. | |||
| Yoruba | idi | ||
| In addition to meaning "why," "idi" can also mean "cause" or "reason" in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | ngani | ||
| Ngàni, an alternate form of ngàna, can also be used in place of 'ngakho-ke,' or 'therefore.' | |||
| Bambara | munna | ||
| Ewe | nu ka ta | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kubera iki | ||
| Lingala | mpo na nini | ||
| Luganda | lwaaki | ||
| Sepedi | ka lebaka la eng | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adɛn | ||
Why in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | لماذا ا | ||
| "Why" in Arabic, "لماذا ا," derives from the phrase "for what," but has come to be used in questions and other contexts with a more general sense of "why." | |||
| Hebrew | למה | ||
| 'למה' can also mean 'for what' or 'to what purpose' (לְמָה זֶה), e.g. 'למה לי ללכת?' (Why should I go?) | |||
| Pashto | ولې | ||
| The Pashto word "ولې" ("why") also means "because". | |||
| Arabic | لماذا ا | ||
| "Why" in Arabic, "لماذا ا," derives from the phrase "for what," but has come to be used in questions and other contexts with a more general sense of "why." | |||
Why in Western European Languages
| Albanian | pse | ||
| Pse in Albanian can also mean 'what for' or 'wherefore'. | |||
| Basque | zergatik | ||
| The word "zergatik" derives from the Basque word "zergaitik", meaning "for what reason". | |||
| Catalan | per què | ||
| In some cases, "per què" can also be translated as "for what" or "because" depending on context | |||
| Croatian | zašto | ||
| The word "zašto" in Croatian is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "zače", meaning "beginning" or "origin". | |||
| Danish | hvorfor | ||
| In Danish, the word "hvorfor" derives from Old Norse "hví" ('where') and "for" ('for'), thus originally meaning "for what reason". | |||
| Dutch | waarom | ||
| The word 'waarom' is a combination of the words 'wa' ('what') and 'om' (around), and it can also mean 'for what reason' or 'on what account'. | |||
| English | why | ||
| The word "why" is derived from the Old English word "hwi", which means "in what way" or "for what reason". | |||
| French | pourquoi | ||
| The word 'pourquoi' comes from the Latin 'pro qua re,' meaning 'for which thing'. | |||
| Frisian | wêrom | ||
| In the Frisian language, "Wêrom" also refers to a small insect, such as a midge or gnat. | |||
| Galician | por que? | ||
| In Galician, "por que" can mean both "why" and "because", depending on the context. | |||
| German | warum | ||
| The word "warum" (why) derives from the Old High German "wâruma," meaning "for what reason." | |||
| Icelandic | af hverju | ||
| "Af hverju" is a compound word formed from "af" (off, from) and "hverju" (what). | |||
| Irish | cén fáth | ||
| Italian | perché | ||
| The Italian word “perché” is derived from the Latin “propter quid”, which means | |||
| Luxembourgish | firwat | ||
| In Luxembourgish, "firwat" can also mean "wherefore" or "on account of what". | |||
| Maltese | għaliex | ||
| In Maltese, "għaliex" originally referred to cause and effect, evolving to also mean "purpose" and then "reason," and is thus related to "għal" ("for"). | |||
| Norwegian | hvorfor | ||
| The Norwegian word "hvorfor" is etymologically related to the Old Norse "hví" and "for", with "hví" meaning "where" or "whither" and "for" meaning "cause". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | porque | ||
| In Portuguese, "porque" can also mean "because" or "therefore," depending on sentence structure. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | carson | ||
| The word "Carson" in Scots Gaelic has several other meanings, including a ridge, a bend, and a marsh. | |||
| Spanish | por qué | ||
| In Spanish, "por qué" can mean "why" but also "for which" or "on account of which". | |||
| Swedish | varför | ||
| In some dialects, "varför" can also mean "because". | |||
| Welsh | pam | ||
Why in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | чаму | ||
| "Чаму" is derived from the Proto-Slavic "čьmo" meaning "what for?" | |||
| Bosnian | zašto | ||
| "Zašto" is also a question word meaning "for what purpose" or "what is the reason for". | |||
| Bulgarian | защо | ||
| "Защо" is often used in Bulgarian to ask for an explanation or a reason, but it can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Czech | proč | ||
| The Czech word "proč" ("why") comes from the Proto-Slavic word "pro-čьto" ("for-what"), which also gave rise to the Russian "pochemu" and the Polish "dlaczego". | |||
| Estonian | miks | ||
| Estonian | |||
| Finnish | miksi | ||
| Miksi is derived from mi, a question particle, and ksi, a form of the verb tehdä, meaning 'to do'. | |||
| Hungarian | miért | ||
| A "miért" szó az eredetileg "mért" alakból származik, melynek jelentése "valamiért" vagy "azért". A szónak van egy ritkábban használt, "mert" jelentésű alakja is, mely főleg archaikus nyelvben fordul elő. | |||
| Latvian | kāpēc | ||
| Latvian “kāpēc” originated as “ka (what) -pēc (for/after)”, and thus originally meant “for what,” with the modern meaning emerging through a shift in stress placement. | |||
| Lithuanian | kodėl | ||
| The Lithuanian word "kodėl" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷod-, meaning "what"} | |||
| Macedonian | зошто | ||
| The word "зошто" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *čьto, meaning "what". | |||
| Polish | czemu | ||
| In Polish, the word 'czemu' can also mean 'because' or 'for what reason'. | |||
| Romanian | de ce | ||
| In Romanian, "de ce" can be an interrogative pronoun meaning "what" or a conjunction meaning "because". | |||
| Russian | зачем | ||
| The word «зачем» also means “for what purpose?” | |||
| Serbian | зашто | ||
| "Зашто" can also mean "what for" or "why bother" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | prečo | ||
| The word "prečo" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *prьčь, meaning "cause" or "reason." | |||
| Slovenian | zakaj | ||
| "Zakaj" means both "why" and "for what purpose" in Slovene, as well as "in order to" in certain contexts. | |||
| Ukrainian | чому | ||
| The word | |||
Why in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | কেন | ||
| In Bengali, "কেন" can also mean "cause" or "reason", derived from Sanskrit "किन" (kina). | |||
| Gujarati | શા માટે | ||
| The word "શા માટે" can also mean "what for" or "for what purpose". | |||
| Hindi | क्यों | ||
| It also means 'since' or 'because' | |||
| Kannada | ಏಕೆ | ||
| The word "ಏಕೆ" can also refer to a cause or reason, and is related to the word "ಏಕ" (one). | |||
| Malayalam | എന്തുകൊണ്ട് | ||
| Marathi | का | ||
| The word "का" can also mean "what" or "what is the matter" in Marathi. | |||
| Nepali | किन | ||
| The word 'किन' in Nepali can also refer to the cause or reason for something. | |||
| Punjabi | ਕਿਉਂ | ||
| The word 'ਕਿਉਂ' ('why') in Punjabi can also be used in the sense of 'how' or 'in what way' | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ඇයි | ||
| The Sinhalese word "ඇයි" (äyi) is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root "*ki-", also found in Sanskrit and Avestan. | |||
| Tamil | ஏன் | ||
| "ஏன்" also means "why" in Sanskrit and has cognates in several other Indo-European languages. | |||
| Telugu | ఎందుకు | ||
| Urdu | کیوں | ||
| The word "کیوں" can also mean "how" or "in what way" in Urdu. | |||
Why in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 为什么 | ||
| "为什么" (literally "why cause") is formed by combining "为" (cause, because) and "什么" (what). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 為什麼 | ||
| In Chinese, “為什麼” can also be used as a noun to mean “reason” or “cause”, or as a verb to mean “to question” or “to investigate”. | |||
| Japanese | なぜ | ||
| "なぜ" (naze) can also mean "how" when used with a negative verb form. | |||
| Korean | 왜 | ||
| This word, often used as an interrogative, can also mean "there" or "where" in some expressions. | |||
| Mongolian | яагаад | ||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဘယ်ကြောင့် | ||
Why in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | mengapa | ||
| Diambil dari kata 'menipa' (yang berarti 'mengenai') dan kata 'apa', 'Mengapa' secara harfiah berarti 'mengenai apa' | |||
| Javanese | ngopo | ||
| The term 'ngopo' is also used in colloquial Javanese to express amazement or surprise. | |||
| Khmer | ហេតុអ្វី | ||
| Lao | ເປັນຫຍັງ | ||
| Malay | mengapa | ||
| "Mengapa" ultimately stems from Proto-Austronesian *manu, meaning "bird" or "fowl". | |||
| Thai | ทำไม | ||
| The word "ทำไม" can also be used as an interjection to express incredulity or surprise. | |||
| Vietnamese | tại sao | ||
| "Tại sao" can be used as both a noun and an adverb. As a noun, it means "reason" or "cause". As an adverb, it means "because" or "for this reason." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bakit | ||
Why in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | niyə | ||
| The word "niyə" can also be used interrogatively to express surprise, disbelief, or indignation. | |||
| Kazakh | неге | ||
| Etymology and alternates for "неге": Kazakh for "why" or "because", cognate to Hungarian "nek" "to", from Proto-Turkic *nē "to". Also in use are its synonyms, "кәмең" and "неліктен". | |||
| Kyrgyz | неге | ||
| In Kyrgyz, "неге" can be used as an interjection to express surprise or frustration. | |||
| Tajik | чаро | ||
| The word "чаро" can also mean "the cause" or "the reason" in Tajik. | |||
| Turkmen | näme üçin | ||
| Uzbek | nima uchun | ||
| The Uzbek word "nima uchun" is thought to have originated from the Persian phrase "niye uchung" meaning "for what reason". | |||
| Uyghur | نېمىشقا | ||
Why in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | no ke aha mai | ||
| The Hawaiian phrase "no ke aha mai" can also be translated as "for what purpose" or "to what end". | |||
| Maori | he aha | ||
| "He aha" can also mean "the purpose," and so, an important "purpose of our creation" is to be happy and at peace. | |||
| Samoan | aisea | ||
| In the Samoan language, 'aisea' can also mean 'reason' or 'cause'. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | bakit | ||
| The Tagalog word "bakit" also literally means "because." | |||
Why in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | kunata | ||
| Guarani | mba'érepa | ||
Why in International Languages
| Esperanto | kial | ||
| The word "kial" is derived from Proto-Indo-European *kwes- or *kwi-, "to inquire". | |||
| Latin | quare | ||
| The Latin word 'Quare' is related to the English word 'where' and the German word 'wo', all deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷo- 'where, when, how'. | |||
Why in Others Languages
| Greek | γιατί | ||
| In Modern Greek, "Γιατί" can also mean "because". | |||
| Hmong | vim li cas | ||
| The phrase "vim li cas" can also be used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Kurdish | çima | ||
| The word 'çima' is also used to express surprise or disbelief. | |||
| Turkish | neden | ||
| The word 'neden' in Turkish is derived from the Persian word 'niçün' meaning 'for what reason or purpose'. | |||
| Xhosa | ngoba | ||
| The word 'ngoba' can also be used to mean 'because'. | |||
| Yiddish | פארוואס | ||
| Zulu | ngani | ||
| Ngàni, an alternate form of ngàna, can also be used in place of 'ngakho-ke,' or 'therefore.' | |||
| Assamese | কিয় | ||
| Aymara | kunata | ||
| Bhojpuri | काहें | ||
| Dhivehi | ކީއްވެ | ||
| Dogri | की | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | bakit | ||
| Guarani | mba'érepa | ||
| Ilocano | apay | ||
| Krio | wetin du | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بۆچی | ||
| Maithili | किएक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯔꯤꯒꯤꯅꯣ | ||
| Mizo | engati nge | ||
| Oromo | maalif | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କାହିଁକି? | ||
| Quechua | imanasqa | ||
| Sanskrit | किमर्थम् | ||
| Tatar | нигә | ||
| Tigrinya | ንምንታይ | ||
| Tsonga | hikokwalaho ka yini | ||