In Portuguese, there are 4 types of whys (why, why, why and why) which are employed as follows:
- Because: used in questions. Example: Why don't we go back to the house?
- Why: used in answers. Example: Because we don't have time right now.
- Because: used in questions at the end of sentences. Example: You don't like this article, why?
- Because: has the noun value and indicates the reason, the reason. Example: I would like to know why he doesn't talk to me anymore.
When to use Why?
"Why" separate and unaccented is used at the beginning of direct interrogative sentences or in the middle in the case of indirect interrogative sentences.
Thus, we use the "why" in questions or as a relative pronoun, meaning "by which and "by which".
- Why didn't he come back?
- Why is this so expensive?
- I wonder why you didn't call me yesterday.
When used in the middle of sentences, "why" has the function of a relative pronoun. Can be replaced by "by which and "by which".
Examples:
- The place I passed is very beautiful. (The place I passed is very beautiful.)
- The reason why it's always left for me, I don't know. (The reason it always leaves me, I don't know.)
- I don't know why people have doubts. (I don't know why people have doubts.)
When to use Why?
"Because", written together and without an accent, is used in answers. It performs the function of a causal subordinate or explanatory coordinative conjunction.
It can be replaced by words such as “because”, or by the expressions “for what” and “since”.
Examples:
- I didn't go to school yesterday because I got sick.
- Take your coat because it's cold.
- I don't need more examples, because I get it.
When to use Why?
"Why", written separately and with a caret, is used in questions onend of sentences direct interrogatives or in isolation.
Before a period, it maintains the interrogative or exclamatory meaning.
Examples:
- Why was lunch not served?
- Walking, why?
- Won't you make more mistakes? Because?
When to use Why?
"Why", written together and with a caret, has the noun value in the phrase e means "reason" or "reason".
It appears in sentences preceded by an article, pronoun, adjective or numeral in order to explain the reason within the sentence.
Examples:
- It was not explained why all the noise last night.
- I wanted to understand why this is happening.
- Can you explain to me why so many people complicate something easy?
Example of the use of whys
To understand everything that has been studied about the rules and uses of whys, check out a strip on the topic below:
In the strip above, the boy spent the first 2 comics making mistakes in the use of whys, until he got everything right in the last one. He would have used it correctly like this:
- 1st comic: "Because yes", after all it is an answer
- 2nd square "Why not?", because we are facing a question.
Summary of the rules of whys
Video tip on whys employment
Exercises on the use of whys
1. (Fuvest-SP) Check the grammatically correct sentence.
a) I don't know why we argued.
b) He did not come because he was sick.
c) But why didn't he come yesterday?
d) I didn't answer because I didn't know.
e) This is the reason for my trip.
Alternative to: I don't know why we argued.
This is an indirect interrogative phrase, so we should use "why" (no accent and separate).
Correction of the remaining sentences:
b) He didn't come why he was sick. (answer)
c) But why Didn't he come yesterday? (question)
d) I didn't answer why he did not know. (answer)
e) Here is the because of my trip. (noun, same as "the reason")
2. (UFV-MG) Check the only alternative where the expression why should come separate.
a) Soon you will understand why so much struggle for such a simple reason.
b) I did not attend the meeting because I was traveling.
c) If Brazil needs everyone's work, it is because we need productive nationalism.
d) The reason for so many disagreements has not yet been discovered.
e) It rained during the night, because the streets are wet.
Alternative a: Soon you will understand why so much struggle for such a simple reason.
The correct thing is: Soon you will understand why so much struggle for such a simple reason. This is because we are faced with an indirect interrogative sentence.
In alternatives "b", "c" and "e" the why is used as an answer.
In alternative "d" the why is used with the same sense of motive.
3. Correctly fill in the blanks using why, why, why and why:
1. I didn't go to class ___ got sick.
I didn't go to class why I got sick. (answer)
2. ___ you do not listen to me?
Because you do not listen to me? (question)
3. We are very close to ___ this behavior.
We are very close to because of this behavior. (noun, reason)
4. When we arrive, we will know the ___ of those pains.
When we arrive, we will know the because of these pains. (noun, reason)
5. You're not going to the party ___ are you sad?
you don't go to the party why is sad? (Answer for the reason for not going to the party)
6. You are sad ___?
You are sad because? (question at the end of the sentence)
7. ___ Did we get there so fast?
Because did we come so fast? (question)
8. We arrived fast ___ I took a shortcut.
we arrived fast why I took a shortcut. (answer)
9. Traffic is slow ___ there was an accident.
traffic is slow why There has been an accident. (answer)
10. I don't understand the ___ of you tormenting my heart.
I don't understand the because of you tormenting my heart. (noun, reason)
11. ___ Do you torment my heart?
Because do you torment my heart (question)
12. This ornament broke. ___?
This ornament broke. Because? (question at the end of the sentence)
13. ___ Did this ornament break?
Because this ornament broke? (question)
14. This ornament broke ___ fell to the ground.
this ornament broke why fell to the ground. (answer)
15. I don't know ___ you torment my heart.
I do not know why you torment my heart. (indirect question)
16. I agree. Still, ___ haven't tried this method before?
I agree. Even so, why haven't tried this method before? (question)
Also read about other Portuguese questions:
- Exercises on the use of commented-out whys
- What or what?
- Evil or Evil?
- More or But?
- In order or In order?
- Too much or too much
- Use of Where and Where
- When to Use: This or This?
- Session, Section, Section, Assignment
- Lose or Lose?
- Welcome, Welcome, Welcome or Welcome?
- Spelling Exercises