Pourquoi? Parce que... (Why? Because...)

What You'll LearnHow to ask the question "Why?" using Pourquoi (Why) [poor-KWAH].How to answer with Parce que... (Because...) [PAR-suh kuh...].Give simple reasons to explain a situation.Imagine this situation... 🤔 Your mom tells you: "It's time to go to bed!". You want to know the reason. You can ask: "Maman, pourquoi (why) [poor-KWAH] je dois aller au lit ? 😴" (Mom, why do I have to go to bed?). She might answer: "Parce que (Because) [PAR-suh kuh] demain, tu as l'école. 🏫" (Because tomorrow, you have school.)Using It in Real LifeExplain why you are happy or sad.Understand the rules at school or at home.Ask for information about the world around you.

French WordWhat it MeansExample in a SentencePourquoi (Why) [poor-KWAH]This is the French word for 'Why'. You use it to ask a question about the reason for something.Pourquoi (Why) [poor-KWAH] manges-tu une pomme ? (Why are you eating an apple?) 🍎Parce que (Because) [PAR-suh kuh]This is the French phrase for 'Because'. You use it to start an answer that gives a reason.Je mange une pomme parce que (because) [PAR-suh kuh] j'ai faim. (I am eating an apple because I am hungry.)

1. Asking a Question with 'Pourquoi'Rule: To ask for a reason, start your sentence with the word Pourquoi (Why) [poor-KWAH]. The pattern is often:Pourquoi + subject + verb + ... ?Example: Pourquoi tu portes un manteau ? (Why are you wearing a coat?)2. Answering with 'Parce que'Rule: To give a reason, start your answer with the phrase Parce que (Because) [PAR-suh kuh]. It is followed by a complete sentence.Parce que + subject + verb + ... .Watch out! If the next word starts with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u, h), you write parce qu' (because) [PAR-sk].Example: Parce que (Because) [PAR-suh kuh] j'ai froid. (Because I am cold.)Example with a vowel: Parce qu'il fait froid. (Because it is cold.)