Italian · Greetings & Essentials

"Because" in Italian: perché

perché

Say it: pehr-KEHconjunction/perˈke/

Because in Italian is perché (pehr-KEH). Same word asks why: Perché? Keep perché as its own word before the reason.

Canceling plans

Resto a casa perché sto male.
I'm staying home because I feel sick.
Practice Italian out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce perché

Say it

pehr-KEH

/perˈke/

Perché stresses KEH: pehr-KEH. Final accent on e. Do not soften the k.

"Because" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
perchébecause / why

Reason or question.

proprio perchéprecisely because

Emphasis.

non perché… ma perché…not because… but because…

Contrast.

ecco perchéthat's why

Wrapping up.

How to use perché in real life

  1. 1Canceling plans

    Resto a casa perché sto male.

    I'm staying home because I feel sick.

    Perché.

  2. 2Choosing a seat

    Mi siedo qui perché c'è ombra.

    I'm sitting here because there's shade.

    Perché.

  3. 3Explaining a purchase

    L'ho comprato perché costava poco.

    I bought it because it cost little.

    Perché.

Mistakes English speakers make with perché

Incorrect: Resto perchéé piove. (wrong spelling)

Correct: Resto perché piove.

One accent: perché.

Incorrect: Vengo because è tardi.

Correct: Vengo perché è tardi.

Use perché, not English because.

Good to know

Kids hear perché? all day from curious adults. In answers, perché starts the reason without needing extra words.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Explaining a late arrival

  1. ChatPal

    Perché sei in ritardo?

    Why are you late?

  2. You

    Perché il tram era pieno e ne ho perso uno.

    Because the tram was full and I missed one.

  3. ChatPal

    Capisco. Allora mangiamo qui perché è vicino.

    I get it. Then let's eat here because it's close.

  4. You

    Sì, perfetto.

    Yes, perfect.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"Because" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Because" in Italian

Because and why are the same?

Yes: perché covers both; tone and word order tell them apart.

How do I answer why?

Start with perché + reason.

That's why?

Ecco perché.

Pronunciation?

pehr-KEH with stress on KEH.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in Italian. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.