Japanese Lesson 74: Why Questions -- 英語のレッスン 74: Why の疑問文の作り方

Vocabulary:
語彙：

泣く
なく
to cry

遅れる
おくれる
to be late

食べる
たべる
to eat

分かる
わかかる
to understand

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To make a "why" question use the word "doshite" 「どうして」.

Examples:
例文：

どうして泣いているの？
どうして　ないている　の？
Why are you crying?

どうして遅れて来たの？
どうして　おくれて　きた　の？
Why did you come late?

どうして食べないの？
どうして　たべない　の？
Why aren't you eating?

どうして分かってくれないの？
どうして　わかって　くれない　の？
Why won't you understand me?

There is a another "naze" 「なぜ」 that you will often hear. It also means "why". The two words "doshite" and "naze" are always interchangeable. "Doshite" has a nuance of closeness in personal communication whereas "naze" feels slightly formal. You would use the word "naze", for example, in a business meeting or with a stranger with whom you prefer not to speak with a feeling of closeness. In the Kansai region (Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe) are of Japan, people often say "nande" 「なんで」 instead of "naze".

なぜ泣いているの？
なぜ　ないている　の？
Why are you crying?

なぜ遅れて来たの？
なぜ　おくれて　きた　の？
Why did you come late?

なぜ食べないの？
なぜ　たべない　の？
Why aren't you eating?

なぜ分かってくれないの？
なぜ　わかって　くれない　の？
Why won't you understand me?