why en · ADV · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio wine-whine
- (US) audio non-wine-whine
- /wa̝ː/ (Multicultural-London-English)
- /ʍae̯/ (Scotland)
- [ʍaɪ̯] ~ [w̥aɪ̯]
- [ʍaː] ~ [w̥aː] (Southern-US)
- (UK) audio wine-whine
- /ʍaɪ̯/
- /waɪ̯/
- [waɪ̯]
- /waː/ (General-South-African)
- /ʍaː/ (Southern-US)
- [ʍae̯] (Scotland)
Etymology
From Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ (“why”), from Proto-Germanic *hwī (“by what, how”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷey, instrumental case of *kʷís (“who”), *kʷid (“what”). Cognate with Old Saxon hwī (“why”), hwiu (“how; why”), Middle High German wiu (“how, why”), archaic Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hvi (“why”), Norwegian Nynorsk kvi (“why”), Swedish vi (“why”), Faroese and Icelandic hví (“why”), Latin quī (“why”), Doric Greek πεῖ (peî, “where”), Ukrainian чи (čy, “if”), Polish czy, Czech či (“or”), Serbo-Croatian či (“if”). Compare Old English þȳ (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then”, literally “by that, for that”). See thy.
Meanings
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(interrogative, not-comparable) For what cause, reason, or purpose. ▸ Introducing a complete question.
Tell me why the moon changes phase.
I don’t know why he did that.
Why did you do that?
Why is the sky blue?
Why do you have a map of the world?
2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
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(interrogative, not-comparable) For what cause, reason, or purpose. ▸ Introducing a complete question. ▸ With a negative, used rhetorically to make a suggestion.
Why don't you ask her out for dinner?
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(interrogative, not-comparable) For what cause, reason, or purpose. ▸ Introducing a verb phrase (bare infinitive clause).
Why not tell him how you feel?
Why spend money on something you already get for free?
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(interrogative, not-comparable) For what cause, reason, or purpose. ▸ Introducing a noun or other phrase.
Why him? Why not someone taller?
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(not-comparable, relative) For which cause, reason, or purpose.
That's the reason why I did that.
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(not-comparable, qualifier:fused relative) The cause, reason, or purpose for which.
Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.
2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:That is why the sky is blue.
Why most of us volunteer is that we need some fresh air.
Synonyms
how come · for why · wherefore · what for · why so · to what end
Translations (340)
hy ինչու ((interrogative) for what reason) · kw prag ((interrogative) for what reason) · gun mba'e re ((interrogative) for what reason) · km ហេតុអី ((interrogative) for what reason) · or କ୍ୟାଂ ((interrogative) for what reason) · tr neden ((interrogative) for what reason) · cmn 為啥 /为啥 ((interrogative) for what reason) · tkl aiheā ((interrogative) for what reason) · sah тоҕо ((interrogative) for what reason) · ug نېمە ئۈچۈن ((interrogative) for what reason) · sh за̏што ((interrogative) for what reason) · sw kwaje ((interrogative) for what reason) · ba ниңә ((interrogative) for what reason) · ngh jhisixe ((interrogative) for what reason) · sq pse ((interrogative) for what reason) · alt кай ((interrogative) for what reason) · uk чому́ ((interrogative) for what reason) · fa چرا ((interrogative) for what reason) · cmn 怎麼 /怎么 ((interrogative) for what reason) · pl dlaczego ((interrogative) for what reason) · lt kodėl ((interrogative) for what reason) · pam obakit ((interrogative) for what reason) · hi क्यों ((interrogative) for what reason) · wuh mashema ((interrogative) for what reason) · kl sooq ((interrogative) for what reason) · ms apa kena ((interrogative) for what reason) · ar علاش ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 物代 ((interrogative) for what reason) · got 𐌳𐌿𐍈𐌴 ((interrogative) for what reason) · sh zȁšto ((interrogative) for what reason) · nap pecché ((interrogative) for what reason) · ky эмнеге ((interrogative) for what reason) · haw aha ((interrogative) for what reason) · mdf мес ((interrogative) for what reason) · ca per què ((interrogative) for what reason) · cy pam ((interrogative) for what reason) · ab иахьԥа ((interrogative) for what reason) · eu zergatik ((interrogative) for what reason) · lb firwat ((interrogative) for what reason) · fi minkä vuoksi ((interrogative) for what reason) · eo kial ((interrogative) for what reason) · uz nega ((interrogative) for what reason) · pam bakit ((interrogative) for what reason) · et miks ((interrogative) for what reason) · alt не керек ((interrogative) for what reason) · cmn 幹嗎 /幹嘛 ((interrogative) for what reason) · el-crt γιάντα ((interrogative) for what reason) · oj aaniin ((interrogative) for what reason) · war kay-ano ((interrogative) for what reason) · cmn 為何 /为何 ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 為啥物 /为啥物 ((interrogative) for what reason) · oc perqué ((interrogative) for what reason) · he מַדּוּעַ ((interrogative) for what reason) · am ለምን ((interrogative) for what reason) · yi פֿאַרוואָס ((interrogative) for what reason) · ki nĩkĩ ((interrogative) for what reason) · jam wa mek ((interrogative) for what reason) · is hvers vegna ((interrogative) for what reason) · bcl bakin ((interrogative) for what reason) · nv haʼátʼíísh biniinaa ((interrogative) for what reason) · is af hverju ((interrogative) for what reason) · be чаму́ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ajp لِيش ((interrogative) for what reason) · vo kikodo ((interrogative) for what reason) · cs proč ((interrogative) for what reason) · shi ⵎⴰⵅ ((interrogative) for what reason) · gl por qué ((interrogative) for what reason) · wuu 為啥 /为啥 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ase OpenB@Sfhead Y@FromSfhead ((interrogative) for what reason) · dv ކީއްވެ ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 為何 /为何 ((interrogative) for what reason) · tk üçin ((interrogative) for what reason) · nn kvifor ((interrogative) for what reason) · ja なんで ((interrogative) for what reason) · ms kena apa ((interrogative) for what reason) · cu въскѫѭ ((interrogative) for what reason) · tzm ⵎⴰⵅ ((interrogative) for what reason) · hak 做麼個 /做么个 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ckt иаʼм ((interrogative) for what reason) · ny chifukwa chiyani ((interrogative) for what reason) · crh ne sebepten ((interrogative) for what reason) · kn ಯಾಕೆ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ary علاه ((interrogative) for what reason) · ary علاش ((interrogative) for what reason) · ce хӏунда ((interrogative) for what reason) · oj aaniish ((interrogative) for what reason) · lv kālab ((interrogative) for what reason) · es por la que ((relative), (fused relative)) · el γιατί ((interrogative) for what reason) · mzs cuza ((interrogative) for what reason) · yi זאַטשעם ((interrogative) for what reason) · vro mille ((interrogative) for what reason) · ckb بۆ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ltg deļkuo ((interrogative) for what reason) · ms kenapa ((interrogative) for what reason) · ka რისთვის ((interrogative) for what reason) · hsn 何解 ((interrogative) for what reason) · mrw ngkaino ((interrogative) for what reason) · he לָמָה ((interrogative) for what reason) · ru почему́ ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 因何 ((interrogative) for what reason) · srn fu san ((interrogative) for what reason) · to hā ((interrogative) for what reason) · mt għaliex ((interrogative) for what reason) · fo hví ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 為甚物 /為什物 /为什物 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ang hwȳ ((interrogative) for what reason) · yue 做乜 ((interrogative) for what reason) · li woerum ((interrogative) for what reason) · km ហេតុអ្វី ((interrogative) for what reason) · ibg ngatta ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl ընդէր ((interrogative) for what reason) · it perché ((interrogative) for what reason) · ks کیٛازِ ((interrogative) for what reason) · es por lo que ((relative), (fused relative)) · tsg mayta' ((interrogative) for what reason) · mfe kifer ((interrogative) for what reason) · tg чаро ((interrogative) for what reason) · tk näme üçin ((interrogative) for what reason) · bcl nata ((interrogative) for what reason) · ga canathaobh ((interrogative) for what reason) · krc нек ((interrogative) for what reason) · bni boni ((interrogative) for what reason) · ro de ce ((interrogative) for what reason) · myv мекс ((interrogative) for what reason) · ml എന്തിന് ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl հիմ ((interrogative) for what reason) · pam obat ((interrogative) for what reason) · ta எதற்கு ((interrogative) for what reason) · as কেলৈ ((interrogative) for what reason) · clt khaanakaw ((interrogative) for what reason) · bcl tano ((interrogative) for what reason) · es a son de qué ((interrogative) for what reason) · wa pocwè ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl էրում ((interrogative) for what reason) · hil ngaa ((interrogative) for what reason) · mn яагаад ((interrogative) for what reason) · ko 왜 ((interrogative) for what reason) · lo ເປັນຫຍັງ ((interrogative) for what reason) · mi na te aha ((interrogative) for what reason) · ks क्याज़ि ((interrogative) for what reason) · fi mitä varten ((interrogative) for what reason) · nan-hbl 是按怎 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ta ஏன் ((interrogative) for what reason) · id kenapa ((interrogative) for what reason) · es por qué (razón/motivo) ((interrogative) for what reason) · yka we'ey ((interrogative) for what reason) · es por ((interrogative) for what reason) · cy paham ((interrogative) for what reason) · sah туох иһин ((interrogative) for what reason) · si ඇයි ((interrogative) for what reason) · bqi سیچه ((interrogative) for what reason) · uk чом ((interrogative) for what reason) · vep mihe ((interrogative) for what reason) · pam ot ((interrogative) for what reason) · grc τί ((interrogative) for what reason) · akz sáhmi ((interrogative) for what reason) · ltg parkū ((interrogative) for what reason) · gl e logo ((interrogative) for what reason) · izh miks ((interrogative) for what reason) · mk зошто ((interrogative) for what reason) · cv мӗншӗн ((interrogative) for what reason) · dcc کئیکو ((interrogative) for what reason) · fa برای چی ((interrogative) for what reason) · ja 何故 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ne किन ((interrogative) for what reason) · la quārē ((interrogative) for what reason) · ur کیوں ((interrogative) for what reason) · yue 做乜嘢 ((interrogative) for what reason) · fy wêrom ((interrogative) for what reason) · yue 做咩 ((interrogative) for what reason) · sq përse ((interrogative) for what reason) · th ไฉน ((interrogative) for what reason) · dng захуэй ((interrogative) for what reason) · bo ག་རེ་བྱས་ནས ((interrogative) for what reason) · tl bakit ((interrogative) for what reason) · kn ಏಕೆ ((interrogative) for what reason) · acw ليه ((interrogative) for what reason) · tt нар ни өчен ((interrogative) for what reason) · ja 何故 ((interrogative) for what reason) · af hoekom ((interrogative) for what reason) · is hví ((interrogative) for what reason) · ty no te aha ((interrogative) for what reason) · es por que ((relative), (fused relative)) · srn sanede ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl իմ ((interrogative) for what reason) · hi क्यूँ ((interrogative) for what reason) · pl po co ((interrogative) for what reason) · sl zakáj ((interrogative) for what reason) · ki nĩ ũndũ kĩ ((interrogative) for what reason) · sk prečo ((interrogative) for what reason) · kmr ji ber çi ((interrogative) for what reason) · crh ne içün ((interrogative) for what reason) · ru заче́м ((interrogative) for what reason) · pag akin ((interrogative) for what reason) · cmn 為甚麼 /為什麼 /为什么 ((interrogative) for what reason) · gd carson ((interrogative) for what reason) · ar لِمَاذَا ((interrogative) for what reason) · yi היתּכן ((interrogative) for what reason) · aii ܩܵܡܘܿܕܝܼ ((interrogative) for what reason) · acw لِيش ((interrogative) for what reason) · rom sosθar ((interrogative) for what reason) · arz ليه ((interrogative) for what reason) · kum неге ((interrogative) for what reason) · ms mengapa ((interrogative) for what reason) · pt por que ((interrogative) for what reason) · br perak ((interrogative) for what reason) · itk פֵיר קֵי ((interrogative) for what reason) · bn কেন ((interrogative) for what reason) · ary علياش ((interrogative) for what reason) · my ဘာဖြစ်လို့ ((interrogative) for what reason) · sa किमर्थं ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl զի ((interrogative) for what reason) · te ఎందుకు ((interrogative) for what reason) · zza çıra ((interrogative) for what reason) · kum не учун ((interrogative) for what reason) · tpi watpo ((interrogative) for what reason) · ru отчего́ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ary لاش ((interrogative) for what reason) · mr का ((interrogative) for what reason) · es en razón de qué ((interrogative) for what reason) · ml എന്തുകൊണ്ട് ((interrogative) for what reason) · sco why ((interrogative) for what reason) · myv мейс ((interrogative) for what reason) · vi sao ((interrogative) for what reason) · pl czemu ((interrogative) for what reason) · yue 為乜 /为乜 ((interrogative) for what reason) · kmr çira ((interrogative) for what reason) · ur کاہے ((interrogative) for what reason) · ilo apay ((interrogative) for what reason) · ka რატომ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ky эмне үчүн ((interrogative) for what reason) · ba ни өсөн ((interrogative) for what reason) · nb hvorfor ((interrogative) for what reason) · ckb لەبەر چی ((interrogative) for what reason) · as কিয় ((interrogative) for what reason) · bcl hadaw ((interrogative) for what reason) · af waarom ((interrogative) for what reason) · lv kāpēc ((interrogative) for what reason) · aii ܩܲܝ ((interrogative) for what reason) · ms apa pasal ((interrogative) for what reason) · de weswegen ((interrogative) for what reason) · pt por quê ((interrogative) for what reason) · ga cén fáth ((interrogative) for what reason) · sm 'aiseā ((interrogative) for what reason) · wuu 啥體 /啥体 ((interrogative) for what reason) · ast por qué ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl էր ((interrogative) for what reason) · nl waarom ((interrogative) for what reason) · fi minkä tähden ((interrogative) for what reason) · chr ᎦᏙᏃ ((interrogative) for what reason) · bg защо́ ((interrogative) for what reason) · la cūr ((interrogative) for what reason) · ja どうして ((interrogative) for what reason) · fi miksi ((interrogative) for what reason) · vi tại sao ((interrogative) for what reason) · de wieso ((interrogative) for what reason) · dng виса ((interrogative) for what reason) · hu miért ((interrogative) for what reason) · myv мезекс ((interrogative) for what reason) · tr niçin ((interrogative) for what reason) · tt ния ((interrogative) for what reason) · chn pus-ikta ((interrogative) for what reason) · frm parquoy ((interrogative) for what reason) · as কেলেই ((interrogative) for what reason) · yi וואַרום ((interrogative) for what reason) · ga cad chuige ((interrogative) for what reason) · pjt nyaaku ((interrogative) for what reason) · th ทำไม ((interrogative) for what reason) · shu مالا ((interrogative) for what reason) · bqi سیچی ((interrogative) for what reason) · ky неге ((interrogative) for what reason) · tyv чүге ((interrogative) for what reason) · ro pentru ce ((interrogative) for what reason) · kri wetin mek ((interrogative) for what reason) · fr pourquoi ((interrogative) for what reason) · uga 𐎍𐎎 ((interrogative) for what reason) · pox jocel ((interrogative) for what reason) · da hvorfor ((interrogative) for what reason) · id mengapa ((interrogative) for what reason) · xcl զմէ ((interrogative) for what reason) · sw mbona ((interrogative) for what reason) · hy հեր ((interrogative) for what reason) · lv kādēļ ((interrogative) for what reason) · nn korfor ((interrogative) for what reason) · hy խի ((interrogative) for what reason) · yue 點解 /点解 ((interrogative) for what reason) · tt нигә ((interrogative) for what reason) · ar لِمَ ((interrogative) for what reason) · mrw ngin ((interrogative) for what reason) · es a qué son ((interrogative) for what reason) · ceb ngano ((interrogative) for what reason) · ab ахьԥа ((interrogative) for what reason) · sah туохтан ((interrogative) for what reason) · cic katimi ta ((interrogative) for what reason) · tr niye ((interrogative) for what reason) · de warum ((interrogative) for what reason) · acm لِيش ((interrogative) for what reason) · nrf pourtchi ((interrogative) for what reason) · izh minen peräst ((interrogative) for what reason) · pl na co ((interrogative) for what reason) · mhr молан ((interrogative) for what reason) · el-cyp γιαείντα ((interrogative) for what reason) · mzs qui-foi ((interrogative) for what reason) · grc διὰ τί ((interrogative) for what reason) · he לָמָּה ((interrogative) for what reason) · apc ليه ((interrogative) for what reason) · es con qué motivo/razón ((interrogative) for what reason) · ary لاه ((interrogative) for what reason) · kjh ноға ((interrogative) for what reason) · egy ḥr zj jšst ((interrogative) for what reason) · chn kahta ((interrogative) for what reason) · yol farthoo ((interrogative) for what reason) · apc لِيش ((interrogative) for what reason) · yi למאַי ((interrogative) for what reason) · kmr bo çi ((interrogative) for what reason) · alt нениҥ учун ((interrogative) for what reason) · sga cid ara ((interrogative) for what reason) · ky эмнеден ((interrogative) for what reason) · aii ܠܡܘܿܢ ((interrogative) for what reason) · li boerum ((interrogative) for what reason) · tyv чоп ((interrogative) for what reason) · az nə üçün ((interrogative) for what reason) · sv varför ((interrogative) for what reason) · ar علاه ((interrogative) for what reason) · li veurwat ((interrogative) for what reason) · hsn 為麼子 /为么子 ((interrogative) for what reason) · aii ܠܡܵܐ ((interrogative) for what reason) · kmr çima ((interrogative) for what reason) · yo kilode ((interrogative) for what reason) · sa कुत ((interrogative) for what reason) · io pro quo ((interrogative) for what reason) · de weshalb ((interrogative) for what reason) · kk неге ((interrogative) for what reason) · fa برای چه ((interrogative) for what reason) · afb لِيش ((interrogative) for what reason) · az niyə ((interrogative) for what reason) · sa किमर्थम् ((interrogative) for what reason) · oj aanishwin ((interrogative) for what reason) · vi vì sao ((interrogative) for what reason)