why - English word #149

Translation

Asks for the reason or cause of something.

Word origin

From Old English hwi, an old question form related to what and how.

Why are late?

"Why" asks for the reason you are late.

why left.

Here "why" stands for the reason she left.

Why is sky blue?

"Why" asks for the cause behind it.

how

A word used to ask in what way something happens or is done.

because

For the reason that; used to explain why something happens.

what

Used to ask about a thing, or to mean the thing that.

when

At what time, or used to join two parts of a sentence about the same time.

where

In or to what place; used to ask or talk about a place.

(1)

Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.