Learn Italian Expressions to say 'perché'

In this video you will learn to use correctly PERCHE’. 

You can download the PDF of this lesson by clicking here!

Let’s immediately begin by saying it correctly! Make sure you are saying that accent on the last vowel… repeat it a few times with me:

• perché
• perché
• perché

Want to practice listening to this sound? I suggest you listen to the song by Rita Pavone! in her song "La partita di pallone" she says perché many many many times!

Listen to the song here!

I think that this little word is interesting especially because in English it actually has two translations and each translation has its own use!

I’m talking about the use of why and because. In English, why is used in questions, and because with answers. On the contrary, perché in Italian is used both in questions and answers.This is the reason why Italians usually make mistakes with why and because in English. 

Let’s look at some common ways of using Perché in Italian:

1. Perché

This is the easy most common version. You use it to ask for explanations in general or if you need to understand the reason behind something. Let’s look at some examples 

For example: 

•  Perché non sei venuto a lezione? – Perché avevo la febbre!
  •  Why didn’t you come to the lesson? Because I had a fever!
• Perché sei ancora in pigiama? Perché non ho sentito la sveglia e non mi sono alzato!
  • Why are you still in your pajamas! Because I didn’t hear the alarm and I didn’t wake up!

2. E perché

Now let’s start adding some words to perché.

In this case we added the conjunction E (and). This still translates to why but it’s used when you want to know some more information, so you are adding a level of interest to the conversation: 

• La professoressa vuole parlare con i tuoi genitori e perché? 

Basically you are asking the reason you want more details. 

Let’s look at this dialogue: 

• Maria: vieni con me dal dottore? 
• Gino: E perché dovrei venire con te? 
• Maria. Perché ho paura di andare da sola!

3. Perché no? / Perché no! 

You can also add NO to perché. Be careful using it correctly. with this form you need to work with intonation. The meaning just like in English changes a little bit when you use the different intonation. This translates to WHY NOT.

Let’s look at some example:

• Paolo: Mamma… perché non posso andare a giocare da Luca? 
• Mamma: perché no! so as a “because I said no and no is no…” 

If you change intonation it’s more of a way to support or give you approval to a person’s proposal:

"Coloriamo il muro di azzurro?, sì dai perché no!"

When you will use it with a question mark at the end you will translate it to the who not… and you can use it when you when you ask for explanations about something you were not allowed to do: 

• Ti ho detto che non puoi guardare la tv!. – Uffa, perché no? 
•  I told you that you cannot watch tv. – Ugh, why not? 

4. Perché mai?/ or come mai? 

You will use these two expression when you are investigating the reason for what a person just told you. These two expressions convey a sense of wonder especially if you use the condition verb tense:

• Come mai non vuoi venire alla festa?
• Perché mai Paolo dovrebbe dire così? 

5. Per quale motivo / per quale ragione.

They translate in English “for which reason”. Plus, they are mainly employed when you specifically ask for more information about something that you have a hard time understanding or finding a reason for. to understand. 

• Per quale motivo hai fatto i compiti? / Why didn’t you do your homework?
• Per quale ragione Piero pensa che ce l’abbia con lui? /Why does Piero think I’m mad at him?

6. A che scopo?/ A che pro?  

Similarly, to the last two expressions you can also use a che scopo and a che pro to say why in Italian. They mean translate to for what purpose? and what’s the point?. 

They are used in very informal contexts when questioning the reason for someone’s decisions. 

Examples: 

• Vuole chiamare la nonna prima di uscire di casa? Ok, ma a che scopo… la nonna sa che stiamo arrivando! 
  • He wants to call grandma before leaving? Ok, but why she knows we are coming!
• Gianna vende tutto e parte per la Tailandia! Ma a che pro? 
  • Gianna is selling everything and is leaving for Thailand. Ok… but why?

7. Il perché

Did you know that you can use perché with a definite article? It is employed in the same way as the other expressions we saw until now and it is used to try to understand why something happened or investigating on the reason for something:

• Oggi sono stanca morta! Non capisco il perché visto che ho dormito 10 ore! 
  • Today I’m dead tired! I don’t understand why since I slept 10 hours straight!
• Non ha risposto al telefono stamattina, Vorrei sapere il perché. 
  • He didn’t answer the phone this morning and I want to know why.

Practice Italian by writing a sentence under the YouTube video! I will read it and reply! :)