왜 Why in Korean: Meaning, Rules and Examples

Key facts

• Level: A1. Estimated study time: 25 minutes.

What you'll learn

• Ask "why" with 왜 in front of a verb, 안 or 못.
• Answer a 왜 question with -아서/어서, -(으)니까 and -기 때문에.
• Tell 왜 (why) from 어떻게 (how) and 무슨 일로 (for what matter).
• Use 왜요? and 왜냐하면 without sounding rude.

Before you start: you should know the polite ending -아요/어요 and the negative word 안. Time: about 25 minutes.

What Does 왜 Why in Korean Mean?

왜 means "why" and asks for the reason behind an action, a state or a decision. It is a question word (의문사), a word that replaces the missing information in a question. Here the missing information is the reason, so the answer is a reason clause.

Compare a statement with its question:

The reason clause 바빠서 ("because I am busy") is replaced by 왜. In English, "why" moves to the front of the sentence. In Korean it already stands near the front, because it sits before the verb and before 안.

A First Example

Listen to each sentence at normal speed, then slowly.

1. 왜 안 와요? (wae an wayo) "Why aren't you coming?"

Pronunciation: [왜 안 와요]. 안 is the short negative word, and 와요 is the polite form of 오다 ("to come"). The question word 왜 comes first, then the negative, then the verb.

2. 왜요? (waeyo) "Why?"

This is the shortest possible question. A speaker uses it right after hearing a statement: if someone says 못 가요 ("I can't go"), the reply 왜요? asks for the reason.

One sentence shows the full pattern and the other shows the shortcut. The next section explains how to build the longer questions.

How Does 왜 Why in Korean Work?

왜 is an adverb, a word that modifies a verb, so it does not take particles. It stands before the verb or before 안 and 못, and the sentence ending carries the tense and the politeness level. Nothing else in the sentence has to move.

Pattern Table

Pronunciation: 왜 안 먹어요? is [왜 안 머거요] (wae an meogeoyo), 왜 늦었어요? is [왜 느저써요] (wae neujeosseoyo), and 왜 못 가요? is [왜 몯 까요] (wae mot gayo), because the final ㅅ of 못 is spoken as ㄷ and makes the next ㄱ tense.

Three details make the table easy to apply.

1. Put 왜 before 안 or 못. 왜 안 먹어요? is natural. 안 왜 먹어요? is not. 왜 often comes first, but it can also follow the subject or object: 한국어를 왜 공부해요?
2. Keep the tense on the verb. 왜 늦었어요? uses the past ending 었, because the lateness already happened. See past tense -았/었- for the rule.
3. Use 안 or 못 for a negative question. The difference between the two is taught in 안 negation in Korean.

Four Politeness Levels

All four change only the ending. Once the pieces are clear, you can build a question from scratch.

How Do You Ask "Why Aren't You Coming?" in Korean?

To ask "Why aren't you coming?" in Korean, take the statement 안 와요, put 왜 in front of it, and add a question mark: 왜 안 와요? Follow these steps to build any "why" question.

1. Start from the statement. Write the sentence without the reason: 안 와요. ("I am not coming.")
2. Put 왜 first. Add it before 안: 왜 안 와요.
3. Check the tense. If the event is finished, use the past ending: 왜 안 왔어요? ("Why didn't you come?"), pronounced [왜 안 와써요].
4. Check the politeness. For someone older, use the honorific ending: 왜 안 오세요? ("Why aren't you coming?" to an elder).
5. Say it. Use a falling tone on the whole question. A rising tone on 왜요? turns it into a surprised "What?"

You'll know it worked when 왜 sits right before 안 or the verb, and the ending matches the tense and the listener. Common mistake at this step: adding a second question word. 왜 어떻게 안 와요? mixes "why" and "how" and is not a normal sentence.

Asking is half of the skill. The next section covers how to answer.

How Do You Answer a 왜 Question in Korean?

To answer a 왜 question, state the reason with one of three connecting endings: -아서/어서, -(으)니까 or -기 때문에. The ending attaches to the reason clause, and the main clause follows. 왜 안 가요? can be answered three ways with the same meaning.

Pronunciation: 비가 와서 안 가요 is [비가 와서 안 가요] (biga waseo an gayo), and 비가 오기 때문에 안 가요 is [비가 오기 때무네 안 가요] (biga ogi ttaemune an gayo).

Choose by situation. -아서/어서 suits ordinary explanations, as in 길이 막혀서 늦었어요 ("I am late because the road was jammed"). -(으)니까 is the only one of the three that can be followed by a suggestion or a command: 비가 오니까 가지 마세요 ("Since it is raining, please don't go"). -기 때문에 sounds objective and fits writing and formal speech. The full comparison belongs to the lesson on Korean because grammar.

To start a longer explanation, begin with 왜냐하면 (waenyahamyeon), which means "the reason is". It is followed by a clause ending in -기 때문이에요: 왜냐하면 바쁘기 때문이에요 ("The reason is that I am busy"). Pronunciation: [왜냐하면 바쁘기 때무니에요]. In speech, 왜냐하면 is common in explanations and arguments but rare in light chat, where the short -아서/어서 answer is enough.

With answers in place, the next step is to compare 왜 with the other question words learners confuse it with.

How Is 왜 Different from 어떻게 and 무슨 일로?

왜 asks for a reason, 어떻게 asks for a method, and 무슨 일로 asks for the business or purpose that brought someone. The three can all be translated with "what" or "how" in English, which is why learners mix them.

Pronunciation: 어떻게 와요? is [어떠케 와요] (eotteoke wayo), and 무슨 일로 오셨어요? is [무슨 닐로 오셔써요] (museun illo osyeosseoyo). The sound [닐] appears because an extra ㄴ is inserted when 일, which begins with an i sound, follows the ㄴ of 무슨.

The expert rule of thumb: answer in your head with "because" or with "by". If "because" fits, use 왜. If "by bus" or "by walking" fits, use 어떻게. 무슨 일로 is a polite, slightly formal way to ask someone's purpose, common at offices, shops and hospitals. With 오셨어요 it suits people you do not know; with friends, 무슨 일이야? or 웬일이야? is more usual. The lesson 어떻게 how in korean covers the "how" side in detail.

When Does 왜요 Mean "What Is It?" and When Does It Sound Rude?

왜요? has two meanings, and tone decides which one you hear. After a statement it means "Why?" or "Why do you say so?" When someone calls you or approaches you, it means "What is it?" Both uses are normal, but a flat or sharp tone can sound impatient.

Three more details matter.

1. 왜 can sound like blame. 왜 안 와? to a friend can sound like "Why on earth aren't you coming?" Add a softener such as 혹시 ("by any chance") or ask 무슨 일 있어요? ("Is something wrong?"), pronounced [무슨 닐 이써요].
2. 왜 can sit inside a longer sentence. 왜 안 왔는지 몰라요 means "I don't know why he didn't come". It is pronounced [왜 안 완는지 몰라요] (wae an wanneunji mollayo). This kind of question inside a sentence is called an indirect question.
3. 왜 그래요? is a sensitive phrase. It literally means "why are you like that?" and can mean "What's wrong?" in a kind voice or "What is your problem?" in a sharp one.

Limitation: this lesson covers 왜 as a question word and as a short reply. It does not cover 어째서, 웬일이에요 or the written style 무엇 때문에, which belong to later lessons. The next section lists the mistakes to avoid.

Common Mistakes with 왜

Five mistakes cover most wrong 왜 sentences.

1. Using 왜 for "how". Learners hear "why" and "how" as related. 왜 가요? asks for the reason you go, not the method. Say 어떻게 가요? for "How do you go?"
2. Putting 왜 after the verb. 안 와요 왜? sounds like a tag added in a rush. Put 왜 before the verb: 왜 안 와요?
3. Using -아서/어서 with a command. 비가 와서 가지 마세요 is not natural. Switch to -(으)니까: 비가 오니까 가지 마세요.
4. Dropping the ending to an elder. 왜 안 와? is casual. To a teacher or colleague, say 왜 안 오세요? or 왜 안 와요?
5. Answering 왜요? with 왜. If someone asks 왜요?, give the reason. Repeating 왜 does not answer anything.

Other question words follow the same pattern of staying near the answer slot, so the same habits carry over to 언제 when in korean and 무슨 what kind of. Now test yourself.

Practice and Answers

Try all four items before you read the answers. Each answer has audio, normal and slow.

1. Choose the form. (왜 / 어떻게) 안 먹어요? ("Why aren't you eating?")
2. Fix the error. 왜 학교에 가요? (The speaker wants to ask "How do you go to school?")
3. Translate. "Why are you late?"
4. Write your own. Ask a friend why they study Korean, using 공부하다 (to study).

Answer Key

1. 왜 안 먹어요? (wae an meogeoyo) 왜 asks for the reason, and 어떻게 asks for the manner.

2. 어떻게 학교에 가요? (eotteoke hakgyoe gayo) Pronounced [어떠케 학꾜에 가요]. "How" needs 어떻게, not 왜.

3. 왜 늦었어요? (wae neujeosseoyo) Pronounced [왜 느저써요]. The lateness is finished, so the verb takes the past ending.

4. Sample answer: 왜 한국어를 공부해요? (wae hangugeoreul gongbuhaeyo) "Why do you study Korean?" Pronounced [왜 한구거를 공부해요]. A possible reply is 한국 드라마를 좋아해서 공부해요 ("I study because I like Korean dramas").

If you chose the wrong word, ask what the answer is: a reason takes 왜, a method takes 어떻게. Then continue with the next lessons.

Next Lessons and Where to Go from Here

After 왜 why in korean, the natural next lesson is 어떻게 how in korean, which asks about method with the same word order. To count and measure, continue to 얼마 얼마나 how much in korean. For the full set of reason endings, read Korean because grammar. The set overview, Korean questions, lists every lesson in order, and the tone of simple questions is explained in yes no questions in korean.

For the short spoken reply, see wae in korean. This page uses Revised Romanization only as a learning aid; the Hangul is the reference. To remember the idea in one line: 왜 why in korean goes before the verb, and the answer is a reason clause ending in -아서/어서, -(으)니까 or -기 때문에.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does 왜 Mean?

왜 means "why" and asks for a reason or a cause. It stands before the verb it questions, as in 왜 안 와요? (Why aren't you coming?). Alone, 왜요? can mean "Why?" or "What is it?", depending on the situation. The word never changes its form; only the sentence ending shows the politeness level.

How Do I Form Questions with 왜?

Put 왜 before the verb or before 안 or 못, then add the ending you need: 왜 가요? (Why do you go?), 왜 안 가요? (Why don't you go?), 왜 늦었어요? (Why are you late?). Nothing else moves. Answer with a reason ending: -아서/어서, -(으)니까 or -기 때문에.

What Is the Most Common Mistake with 왜?

The most common mistake is using 왜 for "how". 왜 가요? asks why you go, not how you go. For "how", use 어떻게 가요?. A second mistake is a blunt 왜 안 와? to someone older, which sounds like blame. Use 왜 안 오세요? or soften it with 무슨 일 있어요?

How Is 왜 Different from 어떻게?

왜 asks for a reason, and 어떻게 asks for a method or manner. 왜 와요? is "Why do you come?" and 어떻게 와요? is "How do you come?". A third form, 무슨 일로, is a polite way to ask what business brought someone, as in 무슨 일로 오셨어요?

Do I Use 왜 in Speech, Writing or Both?

Both. 왜 is the same word in speech and writing. Casual speech shortens the question to 왜? or 왜 안 와?, polite speech uses 왜요? and 왜 안 와요?, and formal speech uses 왜 그렇습니까?. Written explanations often begin with 왜냐하면 and end with 때문입니다.

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