porque

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The Spanish and Portuguese conjunction porque, “because,” ultimately comes from a Latin phrase (pro quid) literally meaning “for that.” Porque can be found in some of the earliest records we have of Rome’s daughter languages on the Iberian peninsula, even noted in a 1492 Spanish grammar.

Speaking of grammar, it’s going to get a little technical ahead, because you need to mind your por‘s and que‘s in Spanish.

There are four major variations of por/que, each with different but related meanings. Porque, as noted, is the subordinating conjunction “because.”

Porqué with an accent marking the second syllable is a noun meaning “reason” or “motive.”

Por que as two words, no accent markings, means “why” (e.g., ¿Por que estas triste? or Why are you sad?).

Finally, por qué—two words, accent over the second syllable—asks for reason or motive, as in, (don’t mind the code-switching), But por qué did you rob the poor man?

Porque is the 86^th most frequently used word in the Spanish language. That’s because it’s such a useful, everyday function word, found in all registers from the fanciest Castilian to Spanish-language social-media posts.

The 1974 song “Porque Te Vas” (“Because You Are Leaving”) by one-hit wonder Jeanette introduced many non-Spanish-speakers to the word porque. The song was featured in the 1976 film Cria Cuervos (Raising Crows) and was a hit in France, then USSR, and elsewhere abroad.