왜 (wae) - Why | Korean Grammar Documentation

왜 means "why" in Korean. It's used to ask about reasons, causes, and explanations for actions or situations.

Basic Usage

Simple Questions

Asking why something happens:

왜요? (Why?)
왜 그래요? (Why is that? / What's wrong?)
왜 그렇게 생각해요? (Why do you think so?)
왜 안 와요? (Why aren't you coming?)

With Common Verbs

왜 + Verb

No particles needed:

왜 울어요? (Why are you crying?)
왜 웃어요? (Why are you laughing?)
왜 화났어요? (Why are you angry?)
왜 늦었어요? (Why are you late?)
왜 안 먹어요? (Why aren't you eating?)
왜 안 와요? (Why aren't you coming?)

Position in Sentence

Usually at the beginning:

왜 한국어를 공부해요? (Why do you study Korean?)
왜 학교에 안 갔어요? (Why didn't you go to school?)

Can appear mid-sentence for emphasis:

한국어를 왜 공부해요? (Why do you study Korean? - emphasis on "why")

Common Usage Patterns

Asking About Actions

Why someone does/did something:

왜 그랬어요? (Why did you do that?)
왜 안 했어요? (Why didn't you do it?)
왜 가요? (Why are you going?)
왜 안 가요? (Why aren't you going?)

Asking About States

Why someone is in a state:

왜 슬퍼요? (Why are you sad?)
왜 피곤해요? (Why are you tired?)
왜 화났어요? (Why are you angry?)
왜 기뻐요? (Why are you happy?)

Asking About Situations

Why something is happening:

왜 안 돼요? (Why doesn't it work? / Why not?)
왜 이렇게 비싸요? (Why is it so expensive?)
왜 이렇게 복잡해요? (Why is it so complicated?)
왜 아무도 없어요? (Why is no one here?)

Expressing Concern

What's wrong?:

왜 그래요? (What's wrong? / Why are you like that?)
왜요? (Why? / What's wrong?)
왜 우세요? (Why are you crying?)
왜 안 좋아 보여요? (Why do you look unwell?)

Answering "Why" Questions

Using 왜냐하면 (Because)

Formal explanation:

왜 늦었어요? (Why are you late?)
왜냐하면 버스가 안 왔어요 (Because the bus didn't come)

Using -아/어서 (Because/So)

More natural in conversation:

왜 안 갔어요? (Why didn't you go?)
아파서 안 갔어요 (I didn't go because I was sick)

Using -니까 (Because)

Giving reason/justification:

왜 공부해요? (Why do you study?)
시험이 있으니까요 (Because there's an exam)

Using -기 때문에 (Because of)

Formal reason:

왜 취소했어요? (Why did you cancel?)
날씨 때문에 취소했어요 (I canceled because of the weather)

Common Expressions

Daily Life

왜 그래요? (What's wrong? / Why are you like that?)
왜요? (Why? / What?)
왜 안 돼요? (Why not? / Why doesn't it work?)
왜 이래요? (Why are you like this?)

Emotional States

왜 울어요? (Why are you crying?)
왜 웃어요? (Why are you laughing?)
왜 화났어요? (Why are you angry?)
왜 기분이 안 좋아요? (Why are you in a bad mood?)

Actions

왜 안 와요? (Why aren't you coming?)
왜 안 먹어요? (Why aren't you eating?)
왜 그랬어요? (Why did you do that?)
왜 안 했어요? (Why didn't you do it?)

Situations

왜 이렇게 비싸요? (Why is it so expensive?)
왜 이렇게 복잡해요? (Why is it so complicated?)
왜 아무도 안 와요? (Why isn't anyone coming?)

Polite Variations

어째서 (Formal "Why")

More formal than 왜:

어째서 그러셨습니까? (Why did you do that? - very formal)
어째서 늦으셨습니까? (Why are you late? - very formal)

Note: Rarely used in everyday conversation

무슨 이유로 (For what reason)

Very formal/written:

무슨 이유로 취소하셨습니까? (For what reason did you cancel?)

Politeness Levels

Casual (반말)

왜? (Why?)
왜 그래? (What's wrong?)
왜 안 와? (Why aren't you coming?)

Polite (해요체)

왜요? (Why?)
왜 그래요? (What's wrong?)
왜 안 와요? (Why aren't you coming?)

Formal (합니다체)

왜 그렇습니까? (Why is that?)
왜 늦으셨습니까? (Why are you late?)
어째서 그러셨습니까? (Why did you do that? - formal)

Common Phrases with 왜

왜 그래요? (What's wrong?)

Most versatile phrase:

Shows concern
Asks for explanation
Questions behavior

Can mean:

What's wrong?
Why are you like that?
What's the matter?

왜요? (Why?)

Short question:

Asking for clarification
Showing surprise
Questioning reason

왜 안 돼요? (Why not?)

Questioning prohibition/impossibility:

Why can't we?
Why doesn't it work?
Why isn't it possible?

왜 이래요? (Why are you like this?)

Questioning current behavior:

Why are you acting this way?
What's with you?

Example Sentences

Asking About Actions

왜 한국어를 공부해요? (Why do you study Korean?)
왜 학교에 안 갔어요? (Why didn't you go to school?)
왜 집에 일찍 왔어요? (Why did you come home early?)
왜 전화 안 했어요? (Why didn't you call?)

Asking About Feelings

왜 슬퍼 보여요? (Why do you look sad?)
왜 기분이 좋아요? (Why are you in a good mood?)
왜 화났어요? (Why are you angry?)
왜 걱정돼요? (Why are you worried?)

Asking About Situations

왜 이렇게 비싸요? (Why is it so expensive?)
왜 문이 안 열려요? (Why won't the door open?)
왜 아무도 없어요? (Why is no one here?)
왜 이렇게 조용해요? (Why is it so quiet?)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Concern

A: 왜 그래요? 괜찮아요?
(What's wrong? Are you okay?)

B: 네, 괜찮아요. 좀 피곤해서요.
(Yes, I'm okay. I'm just a bit tired.)

Dialogue 2: Late Arrival

A: 왜 이렇게 늦었어요?
(Why are you so late?)

B: 죄송해요. 버스를 놓쳤어요.
(I'm sorry. I missed the bus.)

Dialogue 3: Not Eating

A: 왜 안 먹어요?
(Why aren't you eating?)

B: 배가 안 고파서요.
(Because I'm not hungry.)

Dialogue 4: Cancelled Plans

A: 왜 취소했어요?
(Why did you cancel?)

B: 갑자기 일이 생겨서 취소했어요.
(I canceled because something came up suddenly.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 왜에

Adding unnecessary particle

✅ Correct: 왜

No particle needed

❌ Incorrect: 왜해요?

No space

✅ Correct: 왜 해요?

Need space between 왜 and verb

❌ Incorrect: 왜 때문에

Mixing question word with reason marker

✅ Correct: 왜 or -기 때문에

Use separately

Usage Notes

No Particles

왜 doesn't take particles:

✅ 왜 가요? (Why are you going?)
❌ 왜로 가요? (Wrong)
❌ 왜에 가요? (Wrong)

Tone Matters

왜 can sound accusatory:

왜? (Why? - can sound demanding)
왜요? (Why? - softer)
왜 그래요? (What's wrong? - concerned)
왜 그러세요? (What's wrong? - polite/concerned)

Use softer forms when appropriate

Position Flexibility

Standard at beginning:

왜 공부해요? (Why do you study?)

Can move for emphasis:

공부를 왜 해요? (Why do you study? - emphasis on why)

Summary Table

Expression	Usage	Example
왜	Why (general)	왜 가요?
왜요?	Why? (softer)	왜요?
왜 그래요?	What's wrong?	왜 그래요?
왜 안 돼요?	Why not?	왜 안 돼요?
어째서	Why (formal)	어째서 그러셨습니까?
왜냐하면	Because (answer)	왜냐하면 바빠서요

Key Takeaways

✅ No particles: 왜 is used alone
✅ Versatile: Ask about actions, feelings, situations
✅ 왜 그래요?: Most common "what's wrong?"
✅ Answer with -아/어서: Most natural way to explain
✅ Tone matters: Can sound accusatory, soften with 요
✅ Essential question word: Must know for explanations and reasons

왜 is fundamental for asking about reasons and causes in Korean. Master this question word to naturally inquire about motivations, explanations, and the "why" behind actions and situations.