perché

Perché is an Italian word that functions mainly as an interrogative adverb meaning "why" and as a subordinating conjunction meaning "because." It is also used as a noun phrase, il perché, meaning "the reason" or "the matter of why." In sentences, because of its dual role it can introduce questions or provide an explanation: Perché sei arrivato tardi? and Non sono venuto perché ero stanco.

Etymology and history: the form derives from per + che, a construction used in medieval and modern Italian to express motive or cause. The che component is related to the relative pronoun that, and the composite per che evolved into the standard single word perché in contemporary usage.

Orthography and pronunciation: perche is written with a grave accent over the final e (perché), which indicates stress on the last syllable. The standard pronunciation is approximately per-KE, with the emphasis on the second syllable. In uppercase, it is written PERCHÉ. The accent helps distinguish it from other words that might appear similar in unaccented text.

Usage notes: as a conjunction meaning "because," perché introduces a subordinate clause: Non sono venuto perché ero stanco. When used interrogatively, it asks for the cause or reason: Perché vuoi saperlo? The noun use il perché refers to the reason behind a statement or action: Non capisco il perché di questa decisione. Common related expressions include perché no (why not) and the supportive phrases with modal or causal verbs.

See also: in other Romance languages, equivalents exist such as Spanish por qué, French pourquoi, and Portuguese por quê, reflecting the common semantic field of asking for or stating reasons.