Porque vs Por qué vs Porqué vs Por que – Because vs Why

Use porque to give reasons, por qué to ask for reasons, porqué as a noun meaning "the reason," and por que when por and que come from separate clauses (often replaced by por el que or similar). Each form aligns with either cause, question, or noun use.

Use porque to introduce a cause or explanation; it means "because" and is followed by a clause that gives the reason for something.

Use por qué in questions to ask for the cause or reason; it appears in direct or indirect questions and is formed by the preposition por plus the interrogative qué.

Use porqué as a masculine noun meaning "the reason"; it is always preceded by an article or determiner and can be replaced by "el motivo" for clarity.

Use por que when por and que belong to separate expressions—often when que introduces a relative clause after a preposition; it can sometimes be replaced by por el que, por la que, etc.

Remember: porque gives reasons, por qué asks reasons, porqué names the reason, and por que links two parts of a sentence; test by rephrasing or substituting to see which fits.