100 GRAMMAR POINTS

22. Why/Because なぜ、どうして、なぜなら

Here are two ways to say “why” in Japanese:

1. なぜ naze
2. どうして doushite

For the most part, they are interchangeable and start at the beginning of the question:

なぜ（どうして）　私　の　ケーキ　を　たべました　か？
naze (doushite) watashi no
ke-ki o tabemashita ka?
Why did you eat my cake?
[There isn’t a “you” but obviously you wouldn’t be asking yourself this question.]

なぜなら + reason or excuse + kara

なぜなら　はら が へった　から。

nazenara hara ga hetta kara.
Because, (I’m) starving![lit. because stomach is diminished]

• Use at the beginning of the question
• To answer (give a reason), use nazenara (not doushite nara)

100 GRAMMAR POINTS

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