Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
The four spellings mark four jobs: question, answer, end-position question, and noun.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
por que
why or for which
Use por que for a direct or indirect question, or por plus the relative que.
porque
because
Use porque for an answer, explanation, or cause.
por quê
why at the end
Use por quê for a question form placed at the end of a clause.
porquê
the reason
Use porquê for a noun, normally after an article or other determiner.
How to choose
- por que: Choose por que if the sentence points to a direct or indirect question, or por plus the relative que.
- porque: Choose porque if the sentence points to an answer, explanation, or cause.
- por quê: Choose por quê if the sentence points to a question form placed at the end of a clause.
- porquê: Choose porquê if the sentence points to a noun, normally after an article or other determiner.
Examples
Por que você saiu cedo?
Why did you leave early?
Saí cedo porque estava cansado.
I left early because I was tired.
Você saiu cedo por quê?
Why did you leave early?
Ninguém explicou o porquê.
Nobody explained the reason.
Common trap
Do not choose by sound; they sound alike. Check whether the expression asks, explains, ends the clause, or names a reason.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with por que, then once with porque. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.