Understanding how to say “why” in different languages can open doors to better communication, deeper connections, and richer travel or cultural experiences. People often search for translations of “why” out of curiosity, to learn a new language, or to ask meaningful questions when speaking with others across cultures.
This article provides the translation, pronunciation, and an example sentence in 70 different languages, helping you ask “why” in any corner of the world.
How to Say Why in 70 Different Languages
- Spanish (🇪🇸) – ¿Por qué? | Pronunciation: por-KEH
Example: ¿Por qué estás triste? - French (🇫🇷) – Pourquoi | Pronunciation: poor-KWAH
Example: Pourquoi est-il parti si tôt ? - German (🇩🇪) – Warum | Pronunciation: VAH-room
Example: Warum bist du hier? - Italian (🇮🇹) – Perché | Pronunciation: pehr-KEH
Example: Perché sei arrabbiato? - Portuguese (🇵🇹) – Por quê | Pronunciation: pohr-KEH
Example: Por quê você não veio? - Russian (🇷🇺) – Почему (Pochemu) | Pronunciation: pah-chee-MOO
Example: Почему ты молчишь? - Chinese (🇨🇳) – 为什么 (Wèishénme) | Pronunciation: way-shuhn-muh
Example: 你为什么这么做? - Japanese (🇯🇵) – なぜ (Naze) | Pronunciation: NAH-zeh
Example: なぜ彼は来なかったの? - Korean (🇰🇷) – 왜 (Wae) | Pronunciation: weh
Example: 왜 그렇게 했어요? - Arabic (🇸🇦) – لماذا (Limādhā) | Pronunciation: lee-MAA-zha
Example: لماذا تأخرت؟ - Hindi (🇮🇳) – क्यों (Kyon) | Pronunciation: kyon
Example: तुम क्यों रो रहे हो? - Bengali (🇧🇩) – কেন (Kēna) | Pronunciation: keh-nah
Example: তুমি কেন দেরি করছো? - Urdu (🇵🇰) – کیوں (Kyun) | Pronunciation: kyoon
Example: تم کیوں پریشان ہو؟ - Turkish (🇹🇷) – Neden | Pronunciation: neh-DEN
Example: Neden geldin? - Greek (🇬🇷) – Γιατί (Giati) | Pronunciation: yah-TEE
Example: Γιατί είσαι λυπημένος; - Dutch (🇳🇱) – Waarom | Pronunciation: VAH-room
Example: Waarom lach je? - Polish (🇵🇱) – Dlaczego | Pronunciation: dlah-CHEH-go
Example: Dlaczego płaczesz? - Swedish (🇸🇪) – Varför | Pronunciation: VAR-fur
Example: Varför är du sen? - Norwegian (🇳🇴) – Hvorfor | Pronunciation: VOR-for
Example: Hvorfor lo du? - Danish (🇩🇰) – Hvorfor | Pronunciation: vor-FOR
Example: Hvorfor græder du? - Finnish (🇫🇮) – Miksi | Pronunciation: MIK-see
Example: Miksi olet surullinen? - Hungarian (🇭🇺) – Miért | Pronunciation: mee-AYRT
Example: Miért nem válaszoltál? - Czech (🇨🇿) – Proč | Pronunciation: proch
Example: Proč jsi to udělal? - Slovak (🇸🇰) – Prečo | Pronunciation: PREH-cho
Example: Prečo si odišiel? - Romanian (🇷🇴) – De ce | Pronunciation: deh-cheh
Example: De ce ești supărat? - Hebrew (🇮🇱) – למה (Lama) | Pronunciation: LAH-mah
Example: למה אתה שואל? - Persian (🇮🇷) – چرا (Cherā) | Pronunciation: che-RAH
Example: چرا گریه میکنی؟ - Thai (🇹🇭) – ทำไม (Tham-mai) | Pronunciation: tum-MAI
Example: ทำไมคุณเศร้าใจ? - Vietnamese (🇻🇳) – Tại sao | Pronunciation: tie-sao
Example: Tại sao bạn buồn? - Swahili (🇰🇪) – Kwa nini | Pronunciation: kwa NEE-nee
Example: Kwa nini una huzuni? - Zulu (🇿🇦) – Kungani | Pronunciation: koon-GAH-nee
Example: Kungani ulele? - Xhosa (🇿🇦) – Kutheni | Pronunciation: koo-THEH-nee
Example: Kutheni ungakhulumi? - Afrikaans (🇿🇦) – Hoekom | Pronunciation: HOO-kohm
Example: Hoekom huil jy? - Igbo (🇳🇬) – Gịnị mere? | Pronunciation: ghee-NEE MEH-ray
Example: Gịnị mere i ji kwu? - Yoruba (🇳🇬) – Kí ló dé? | Pronunciation: kee loh deh
Example: Kí ló dé tí o fi n sunkún? - Amharic (🇪🇹) – ለምን (Lemin) | Pronunciation: leh-MEEN
Example: ለምን ነህ እንደዚህ ተስፋይ? - Tigrinya (🇪🇷) – ሓሳብ እንታይ? (Hasab Entay?) | Pronunciation: hah-SAHB en-TIE
Example: እንታይ ሓሳብካ? - Pashto (🇦🇫) – ولې (Walay) | Pronunciation: WAH-lay
Example: ته ولې خپه یی؟ - Urdu (🇵🇰) – کیوں (Kyun) | Pronunciation: kyoon
Example: وہ کیوں ہنسا؟ - Malay (🇲🇾) – Kenapa | Pronunciation: keh-NAH-pah
Example: Kenapa kamu menangis?
- Indonesian (🇮🇩) – Kenapa | Pronunciation: keh-NAH-pah
Example: Kenapa kamu sedih? - Tagalog (🇵🇭) – Bakit | Pronunciation: BAH-kit
Example: Bakit ka umiiyak? - Lao (🇱🇦) – ເປັນຫຍັງ (Pen nyang) | Pronunciation: pen NYANG
Example: ເປັນຫຍັງເຈົ້າເສົ້າ? - Khmer (🇰🇭) – ហេតុអ្វី (Het avey) | Pronunciation: heht AH-vay
Example: ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នកទឹកភ្នែក? - Burmese (🇲🇲) – ဘာကြောင့် (Ba kyaunt) | Pronunciation: bah jownt
Example: ဘာကြောင့်သင်ငိုနေလဲ။ - Mongolian (🇲🇳) – Яагаад (Yaagaad) | Pronunciation: YAA-gahd
Example: Яагаад та ингээд байгаа юм бэ? - Kazakh (🇰🇿) – Неліктен (Nelikten) | Pronunciation: neh-LEEK-ten
Example: Неліктен сен кешіктің? - Uzbek (🇺🇿) – Nega | Pronunciation: NEH-gah
Example: Nega yig’layapsan? - Nepali (🇳🇵) – किन (Kina) | Pronunciation: kee-nah
Example: तिमी किन रुँदैछौ? - Sinhala (🇱🇰) – මුලාකාරණය කුමක්ද? (Mulakaranaya kumakda?) | Pronunciation: moo-lah-KAH-rah-nuh-yah koo-MAK-da
Example: ඔයා දුකින් තවද? - Tamil (🇮🇳) – ஏன் (Yen) | Pronunciation: yen
Example: நீ ஏன் அழுகிறாய்? - Telugu (🇮🇳) – ఎందుకు (Enduku) | Pronunciation: EN-doo-koo
Example: నీవెందుకు ఏడుస్తున్నావు? - Kannada (🇮🇳) – ಏಕೆ (Eke) | Pronunciation: AY-kay
Example: ನೀನು ಏಕೆ ಅಳುತ್ತೀಯ? - Malayalam (🇮🇳) – എന്തിനാണ് (Enthinaan) | Pronunciation: EN-thee-nahn
Example: നീ എന്തിനാണ് കരയുന്നത്? - Marathi (🇮🇳) – का (Kā) | Pronunciation: kaa
Example: तू का रडत आहेस? - Punjabi (🇮🇳) – ਕਿਉਂ (Kyun) | Pronunciation: kyoon
Example: ਤੂੰ ਕਿਉਂ ਰੋ ਰਹੀ ਹੈਂ? - Gujarati (🇮🇳) – શા માટે (Sha mate) | Pronunciation: shaa maa-TAY
Example: તું શા માટે રડી રહી છે? - Basque (🇪🇸) – Zergatik | Pronunciation: zehr-GAH-teek
Example: Zergatik ari zara negar egiten? - Catalan (🇪🇸) – Per què | Pronunciation: per-KEH
Example: Per què estàs trist? - Galician (🇪🇸) – Por que | Pronunciation: por-KEH
Example: Por que estás chorando? - Welsh (🏴) – Pam | Pronunciation: pam
Example: Pam wyt ti’n crio? - Irish (🇮🇪) – Cén fáth | Pronunciation: kayn faw
Example: Cén fáth go bhfuil tú brónach? - Scottish Gaelic (🏴) – Carson | Pronunciation: CAR-sun
Example: Carson a tha thu brònach? - Hawaiian (🇺🇸) – No ke aha | Pronunciation: noh keh AH-hah
Example: No ke aha ʻoe e uē ai? - Samoan (🇼🇸) – Aisea | Pronunciation: eye-SEH-ah
Example: Aisea ua e tagi ai? - Tongan (🇹🇴) – Ko e hā | Pronunciation: koh eh HAH
Example: Ko e hā ʻoku ke tangi ai? - Maori (🇳🇿) – He aha ai | Pronunciation: heh AH-ha eye
Example: He aha ai koe e tangi ana? - Fijian (🇫🇯) – Na cava | Pronunciation: nah THAH-vah
Example: Na cava o sa tagi kina? - Esperanto (🌍) – Kial | Pronunciation: KEE-al
Example: Kial vi ploras? - Latin (🇻🇦) – Cur | Pronunciation: koor
Example: Cur lacrimas?
Conclusion:
No matter where you are in the world, asking “why” is the first step to understanding and compassion. Discover how to say “why” in 70 languages with pronunciation and examples. Perfect for learners, travelers, and curious minds.