Why

//wæ//

Synonyms for "why" (70 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (14)

Noun(1 words)
wherefore

Strong matches (21)

Adverb(2 words)
for whyhow come

Related words (35)

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

11 relation types

More general

3 entries

Antonyms

4 entries

Synonyms

3 entries

dbpedia genre

1 entries

dbpedia language

1 entries

derived

35 entries

Showing 16 of 35 words.

distinct from

2 entries

etymologically related_to

1 entries

has context

2 entries

is a

3 entries

related to

62 entries

Showing 16 of 62 words.

Translations

403 translations across 184 languages.

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Abkhaz

2 entries
  • ахьԥа adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • иахьԥа adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Afrikaans

2 entries
  • hoekom adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • waarom adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Alabama

1 entries
  • sáhmi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Albanian

2 entries
  • pse adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • përse adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

American Sign Language

1 entries
  • OpenB@Sfhead Y@FromSfhead adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Amharic

1 entries
  • ለምን adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Ancient Greek

2 entries
  • διὰ τί adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • τί adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Arabic

4 entries
  • علاش adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • علاه adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • علياش adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • لاش adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Armenian

4 entries
  • ինչու adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • խի adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • հեր adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • պատճառ noun (the reason)

Assamese

3 entries
  • কিয় adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • কেলেই adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • কেলৈ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

4 entries
  • ܠܡܘܿܢ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ܠܡܵܐ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ܩܲܝ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ܩܵܡܘܿܕܝܼ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Asturian

1 entries
  • por qué adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Azerbaijani

2 entries
  • niyə adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nə üçün adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bakhtiari

2 entries
  • سیچه adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • سیچی adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bangi

1 entries
  • boni adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bashkir

2 entries
  • ни өсөн adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ниңә adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Basque

1 entries
  • zergatik adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Belarusian

1 entries
  • чаму́ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bengali

1 entries
  • কেন adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bikol Central

4 entries
  • bakin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • hadaw adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nata adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • tano adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Breton

1 entries
  • perak adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Bulgarian

4 entries
  • защо́ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ей intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • о intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • хей intj (exclamation of surprise)

Burmese

1 entries
  • ဘာဖြစ်လို့ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Catalan

2 entries
  • per què adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • perquè noun (the reason)

Cebuano

1 entries
  • ngano adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Central Atlas Tamazight

1 entries
  • ⵎⴰⵅ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Central Kurdish

2 entries
  • بۆ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • لەبەر چی adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chadian Arabic

1 entries
  • مالا adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chechen

1 entries
  • хӏунда adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Cherokee

1 entries
  • ᎦᏙᏃ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chichewa

1 entries
  • chifukwa chiyani adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chickasaw

1 entries
  • katimi ta adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chinese

4 entries
  • виса adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • захуэй adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 因何 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 是按怎 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chinese Cantonese

4 entries
  • 做乜 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 做乜嘢 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 做咩 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 為乜 /为乜 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chinese Mandarin

4 entries
  • 幹嗎 /幹嘛 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 怎麼 /怎么 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 為何 /为何 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 為啥 /为啥 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chinook Jargon

2 entries
  • kahta adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • pus-ikta adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chukchi

1 entries
  • иаʼм adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Chuvash

1 entries
  • мӗншӗн adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Cornish

1 entries
  • prag adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Crimean Tatar

2 entries
  • ne içün adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ne sebepten adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Cypriot Greek

1 entries
  • γιαείντα adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Czech

1 entries
  • proč adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Danish

4 entries
  • hvorfor adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • hov intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • hva' intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • derfor noun (the reason)

Deccani

2 entries
  • کئیکو adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • کئیکو intj (exclamation of surprise)

Dhivehi

1 entries
  • ކީއްވެ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Dutch

4 entries
  • waarom adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nou intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • wel intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • waarom noun (the reason)

Eastern Mari

1 entries
  • молан adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Egyptian

1 entries
  • ḥr zj jšst adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Erzya

3 entries
  • мезекс adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • мейс adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • мекс adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Esperanto

1 entries
  • kial adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Estonian

2 entries
  • miks adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • miks noun (the reason)

Faroese

1 entries
  • hví adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Finnish

4 entries
  • miksi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • minkä tähden adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • minkä vuoksi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • mitä varten adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

French

4 entries
  • pourquoi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ah intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • bah intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • eh bien intj (exclamation of surprise)

Galician

2 entries
  • e logo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • por qué adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Georgian

2 entries
  • რატომ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • რისთვის adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

German

4 entries
  • warum adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • weshalb adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • weswegen adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • wieso adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Gothic

1 entries
  • 𐌳𐌿𐍈𐌴 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Greek

3 entries
  • γιάντα adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • γιατί adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • γιατί noun (the reason)

Greenlandic

1 entries
  • sooq adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Hakka Chinese

1 entries
  • 做麼個 /做么个 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Hawaiian

1 entries
  • aha adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Hebrew

4 entries
  • לָמָּה adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • לָמָה adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • מַדּוּעַ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • למה noun (the reason)

Hiligaynon

1 entries
  • ngaa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Hindi

2 entries
  • क्यूँ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • क्यों adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Hungarian

4 entries
  • miért adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • hát intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • nocsak intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • nos intj (exclamation of surprise)

Ibanag

1 entries
  • ngatta adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Icelandic

3 entries
  • af hverju adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nú intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • ástæða noun (the reason)

Ido

1 entries
  • pro quo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Ilocano

1 entries
  • apay adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Indonesian

4 entries
  • kenapa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • mengapa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kenapa noun (the reason)
  • mengapa noun (the reason)

Ingrian

2 entries
  • miks adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • minen peräst adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Irish

3 entries
  • cad chuige adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • canathaobh adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • cén fáth adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Italian

2 entries
  • perché adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • perché noun (the reason)

Jamaican Creole

1 entries
  • wa mek adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Japanese

4 entries
  • どうして adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • なんで adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 何故 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 何故 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Judeo-Italian

1 entries
  • פֵיר קֵי adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kannada

2 entries
  • ಏಕೆ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ಯಾಕೆ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kapampangan

4 entries
  • bakit adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • obakit adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • obat adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ot adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Karachay-Balkar

1 entries
  • нек adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kashmiri

2 entries
  • کیٛازِ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • क्याज़ि adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kazakh

1 entries
  • неге adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Khakas

1 entries
  • ноға adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Khmer

2 entries
  • ហេតុអី adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ហេតុអ្វី adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kikuyu

2 entries
  • nĩ ũndũ kĩ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nĩkĩ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Korean

1 entries
  • 왜 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Krio

1 entries
  • wetin mek adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kumyk

2 entries
  • не учун adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • неге adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Kyrgyz

4 entries
  • неге adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • эмне үчүн adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • эмнеге adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • эмнеден adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Lao

1 entries
  • ເປັນຫຍັງ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Latgalian

2 entries
  • deļkuo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • parkū adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Latin

3 entries
  • cūr adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • quārē adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • cur noun (the reason)

Latvian

4 entries
  • kādēļ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kālab adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kāpēc adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kādēļ noun (the reason)

Limburgish

3 entries
  • boerum adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • veurwat adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • woerum adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Lithuanian

1 entries
  • kodėl adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Lutuv

1 entries
  • khaanakaw adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Luxembourgish

1 entries
  • firwat adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Macanese

2 entries
  • cuza adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • qui-foi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Macedonian

3 entries
  • зошто adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • зошто noun (the reason)
  • причина noun (the reason)

Malay

4 entries
  • apa kena adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • apa pasal adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kena apa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kenapa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Malayalam

2 entries
  • എന്തിന് adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • എന്തുകൊണ്ട് adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Maltese

2 entries
  • għaliex adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • il-għala noun (the reason)

Maranao

2 entries
  • ngin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ngkaino adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Marathi

1 entries
  • का adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Middle French

1 entries
  • parquoy adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Moksha

1 entries
  • мес adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Mongolian

1 entries
  • яагаад adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Māori

1 entries
  • na te aha adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Navajo

1 entries
  • haʼátʼíísh biniinaa adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Neapolitan

2 entries
  • pecché adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • pecché noun (the reason)

Nepali

1 entries
  • किन adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Norman

1 entries
  • pourtchi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Northern Kurdish

4 entries
  • bo çi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ji ber çi adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • çima adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • çira adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Norwegian

2 entries
  • hvorfor intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • derfor noun (the reason)

Norwegian Bokmål

1 entries
  • hvorfor adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Norwegian Nynorsk

2 entries
  • korfor adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • kvifor adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Nǀuu

1 entries
  • jhisixe adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Occitan

2 entries
  • perqué adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • perqué noun (the reason)

Odia

1 entries
  • କ୍ୟାଂ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Ojibwe

3 entries
  • aaniin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • aaniish adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • aanishwin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Old Armenian

4 entries
  • զի adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • զմէ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • էր adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • էրում adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Old Church Slavonic

1 entries
  • въскѫѭ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Old English

1 entries
  • hwȳ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Old Irish

1 entries
  • cid ara adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Pangasinan

1 entries
  • akin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Pattani Malay

1 entries
  • bakpo noun (the reason)

Persian

3 entries
  • برای چه adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • برای چی adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • چرا adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Pitjantjatjara

1 entries
  • nyaaku adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Polabian

1 entries
  • jocel adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Polish

4 entries
  • czemu adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • dlaczego adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • na co adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • po co adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Portuguese

4 entries
  • por que adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • por quê adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • uai intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • porquê noun (the reason)

Romani

1 entries
  • sosθar adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Romanian

3 entries
  • de ce adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • pentru ce adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • pentru ce noun (the reason)

Russian

4 entries
  • заче́м adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • отчего́ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • почему́ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • как intj (exclamation of surprise)

Samoan

1 entries
  • 'aiseā adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Sanskrit

3 entries
  • किमर्थं adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • किमर्थम् adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • कुत adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Scots

1 entries
  • why adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Scottish Gaelic

1 entries
  • carson adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Serbo-Croatian

2 entries
  • zȁšto adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • за̏што adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Sinhalese

1 entries
  • ඇයි adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Slovak

1 entries
  • prečo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Slovene

1 entries
  • zakáj adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Southern Altai

3 entries
  • кай adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • не керек adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • нениҥ учун adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Spanish

4 entries
  • a qué son adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • a son de qué adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • con qué motivo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • por la que adv ((relative), (fused relative))

Sranan Tongo

2 entries
  • fu san adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • sanede adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Swahili

2 entries
  • kwaje adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • mbona adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Swedish

4 entries
  • varför adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • nej intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • nämen intj (exclamation of surprise)
  • därför noun (the reason)

Tagalog

1 entries
  • bakit adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tahitian

1 entries
  • no te aha adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tajik

1 entries
  • чаро adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tamil

2 entries
  • எதற்கு adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ஏன் adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tashelhit

1 entries
  • ⵎⴰⵅ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tatar

3 entries
  • нар ни өчен adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • нигә adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ния adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tausug

1 entries
  • mayta' adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Telugu

1 entries
  • ఎందుకు adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Thai

2 entries
  • ทำไม adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • ไฉน adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tibetan

1 entries
  • ག་རེ་བྱས་ནས adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tok Pisin

1 entries
  • watpo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tongan

1 entries
  • hā adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Turkish

3 entries
  • neden adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • niye adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • niçin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Turkmen

2 entries
  • näme üçin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • üçin adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Tuvan

2 entries
  • чоп adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • чүге adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Ugaritic

1 entries
  • 𐎍𐎎 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Ukrainian

2 entries
  • чом adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • чому́ adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Urdu

2 entries
  • کاہے adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • کیوں adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Uyghur

1 entries
  • نېمە ئۈچۈن adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Uzbek

2 entries
  • nega adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • sabab noun (the reason)

Veps

1 entries
  • mihe adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Vietnamese

4 entries
  • sao adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • tại sao adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • vì sao adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • lí do noun (the reason)

Volapük

1 entries
  • kikodo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Võro

1 entries
  • mille adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Walloon

1 entries
  • pocwè adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Waray-Waray

1 entries
  • kay-ano adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Welsh

2 entries
  • paham adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • pam adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

West-Frisian

1 entries
  • wêrom adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Wu Chinese

2 entries
  • 啥體 /啥体 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 為啥 /为啥 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Wutunhua

1 entries
  • mashema adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Xiang Chinese

2 entries
  • 何解 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • 為麼子 /为么子 adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Yakan

1 entries
  • we'ey adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Yakut

3 entries
  • тоҕо adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • туох иһин adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • туохтан adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Yiddish

4 entries
  • היתּכן adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • וואַרום adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • זאַטשעם adv ((interrogative) for what reason)
  • למאַי adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Yola

1 entries
  • farthoo adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Yoruba

1 entries
  • kilode adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Zazaki

1 entries
  • çıra adv ((interrogative) for what reason)

Sample sentences

36 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Why do you ask?

Source: tatoeba (1368)

Thanks for having explained to me at last why people take me for an idiot.

Source: tatoeba (1401)

Why don't you come visit us?

Source: tatoeba (1439)

Why are you sorry for something you haven't done?

Source: tatoeba (1469)

Showing 4 of 36 available sentences.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.