Por Que, Porque, Por Quê, and Porquê: A Portuguese Guide
The four forms are easier to choose when you identify whether you are asking why, giving a reason, or naming a reason.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Por que is common in direct questions asking why and in indirect questions such as não sei por que (I don’t know why). Here, por and que remain separate. In a question at the end of a sentence, Portuguese writes por quê with an accent on quê.
Use por que in questions and embedded questions
A practical check: if English why fits and the expression is not at the end of the sentence, por que is often the form you need. When it falls at the end of a direct or indirect question before punctuation, write por quê: Por que você saiu? / Você saiu por quê? / Não sei por quê.
Por que você chegou mais cedo?
Why did you arrive earlier?
Não entendi por que a loja fechou.
I didn’t understand why the store closed.
Você saiu por quê?
Why did you leave?
Use porque for a reason and porquê as a noun
Porque is one word when it introduces an explanation or answer: it usually corresponds to because. Porquê is a masculine noun meaning the reason or the why; it often appears with an article, as in o porquê.
In edited writing, check which job the expression is doing before you choose the spelling. The spoken sound may not help you distinguish the forms, so use the sentence structure as your guide.
Voltei porque esqueci meu casaco.
I came back because I forgot my coat.
Ela explicou o porquê da mudança.
She explained the reason for the change.
Quero saber o porquê dessa decisão.
I want to know the reason for that decision.
Put it into practice
Separate por que for why, porque for because, por quê at the end of a question, and porquê when you mean the reason. Decide from the sentence’s function, not from sound.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “She explained the reason for the change”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.