何(なん)で

なんで
adverb
why, what for
1. why, for what reason
Used to ask the reason or cause for something.
何(なん)でだろう。
I wonder why.
何(なん)で来(こ)なかったの？
Why didn't you come?
何(なん)で遅(おく)れたの？
Why were you late?
何(なん)で泣(な)いてるの？
Why are you crying?
何(なん)でそんなことを言(い)うの？
Why would you say something like that?
2. how, by what means
Used to ask about the means or method.
何(なん)で書(か)く？
What do you write with?
Asking about means/tools
何(なん)で食(た)べる？ — 箸(はし)で食(た)べる。
What do you eat it with? — With chopsticks.
何(なん)で行(い)く？ — 電車(でんしゃ)で行(い)く。
How are you getting there? — I'm going by train.
何(なん)で作(つく)ったの？ — 紙(かみ)で作(つく)った。
What did you make it with? — I made it with paper.
学校(がっこう)まで何(なん)で行(い)っている？ — バスで行(い)っている。
How do you get to school? — I go by bus.

USAGE: なんで is a casual way to ask "why" or "how." It's more informal than どうして or なぜ.

FORMALITY LEVELS:

  • なんで (casual - most common in spoken Japanese)
  • どうして (neutral)
  • なぜ (formal/written)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

NOTE: なんで can also mean "by what means" (何(なに)で = with what), though context usually makes the meaning clear.

Related Words

Related: どうして (why (neutral))
Related: なぜ (why (formal))
basic
Added 2026.1.12 22:55 · Revised 2026.5.28 6:10
03500/03875_nande