Ya Que vs Porque: What’s the Difference?

Have you been studying Spanish for some time and still don’t understand the difference between ya que and porque? 

Estudio Español ya que mi familia viene de México.
Estudio español porque mi familia viene de México.

You’re not alone.

But you know what? It will take you about 15 minutes to end the confusion once and for all.

In this blog post, I explain the similarities and differences between these two, translate them into English in all possible ways, and provide you with some synonyms to broaden your vocabulary.

In the end, you’ll be able to check how much you’ve learned using a multiple-choice quiz.

Let’s start.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What Does ‘Porque’ Mean?
• What Does ‘Ya Que’ Mean?
• Similarities Between ‘Ya Que’ and ‘Porque’
• Differences Between ‘Ya Que’ and ‘Porque’
• Ya que vs Porque – Multiple Choice Quiz
• Practice Your Sharpened Spanish Skills in Real-Time

What Does ‘Porque’ Mean?

Porque has several meanings and variations. It depends on how you’re using it.

1. Porque – because

When you translate porque into English, it will always mean “because.” Don’t confuse it with por qué written as two separate words and with an accent on the second word—this one means “why.”

¿Por qué lo haces? Porque me gusta.
Why are you doing this? Because I like it.

Grammatically speaking, it’s a causal conjunction that means por causa de, por razón de, which translates into “because.” 

It’s followed by the indicative mood, and you should never use a comma before.

Trabajo porque necesito dinero.
I work because I need money.

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• 9 Types of Subordinating Conjunctions in Spanish That Will Supercharge Your Fluency

2. No porque – not because

The thing changes a bit if you put no in front of the porque. 

It still means “because,” specifically “not because.” So you can use both the indicative and the subjunctive mood without any difference in meaning.

Trabajo, no porque me gusta, sino porque necesito dinero. (indicative)
Trabajo, no porque me guste, sino porque necesito dinero. (subjunctive)
I work, not because I like it, but because I need money.

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• Subjunctive vs Indicative in Spanish: Learn How To Use Them!

3. Porque / Para que – so that

Although not often, porque can also be the final conjunction, and you can use it as a synonym for para que. 

In this case, you should always add the subjunctive mood afterwards.

Corramos porque lleguemos a tiempo.
Let’s race to be on time.

Read about porque in the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary.

What Does ‘Ya Que’ Mean?

When you translate ya que into English, you have more options to choose from. 

1. Ya que – because

Ya que can translate into: because, since, as, now, now that, considering that. Ya que tells us that the reason is taken for granted and will not be asked. 

It may convey that it is supposed to be evident to the interlocutor.

You can read more about ya que in the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary.

What are the synonyms for ya que? 

• porque
• la razón es que
• debido a que
• puesto que
• dado que 

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven, ya que los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young because salaries are usually lower for people without much experience.

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven porque los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young because salaries are usually lower for people without much experience.

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven. La razón es que los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young. The reason is that salaries tend to be lower for people without a lot of experience.

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven, debido a que los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young because salaries are usually lower for people without a lot of experience.

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven, puesto que los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young since salaries tend to be lower for people without a lot of experience.

Es difícil comprar una casa siendo joven, dado que los salarios suelen ser más bajos para personas sin mucha experiencia.
It is difficult to buy a house when you’re young since salaries tend to be lower for people without a lot of experience.

As you can see, it is a synonym for porque, and can also be translated into “because,” but other words are also compatible. 

What do you need to remember? First, always use the indicative mood after ya que, and if it appears in the middle of a sentence you should always put a comma in front of it. 

Read more about it here.

Ya que sounds more formal and fancier, and it is less used in conversational Spanish.

2. Ya que – What for?

In some cases, it can even mean “What for?” and “What difference does it make.” 

It’s very informal. Use it in situations when you feel like you have no options left.

-Intenta hablar con tu mamá, a lo mejor ella te deja ir.
-No, ya que.

-Try talking to your mom, maybe she’ll let you go.
-No, what for? / No, what difference does it make?

Similarities Between ‘Ya Que’ and ‘Porque’

The biggest similarity is that you can translate both into “because,” and use it to give reasons to your interlocutor. Additionally, you must use the indicative mood after them.

Estoy leyendo este libro ya que me lo dejaron como tarea.
Estoy leyendo este libro porque me lo dejaron como tarea.
I’m reading this book because it was given to me as homework.

Differences Between ‘Ya Que’ and ‘Porque’

I’m sure that you have already spotted some differences while reading about ya que and por que but let me put them here together for you.

1. You have to use a comma before ya que, but you mustn’t before porque.

No lo voy a leer, ya que tengo otras cosas que hacer.
No lo voy a leer porque tengo otras cosas que hacer.
I’m not going to read it because I have other things to do.

2. Ya que gives you more translation options than porque.

• Ya que translates to: because, since, as, now, now that, considering that
• Porque translates to: because

3. Ya que tells us that the reason is obvious for the person you’re talking to and will not be questioned. Porque just presents the reason that’s likely new to the speaker.

It might be difficult to understand for beginner Spanish learners but ya que  transmits the meaning that there is no space for discussion. Everybody understands the reason, meanwhile porque explains something new.

No tengo hambre, ya que comimos hace media hora.
I’m not hungry since we ate half an hour ago.

In this sentence, both speakers had lunch together a bit earlier and it’s understandable when one of them says he’s not hungry.

No tengo hambre porque ya he comido.
I’m not hungry because I have already eaten.

Here, the information that the speaker had eaten earlier is unknown to the interlocutor.

4. You cannot use the subjunctive after ya que, but you can after porque in some cases. 

Ya que vs Porque – Multiple Choice Quiz

Before you see how much you’ve learned, let’s have a quick look at this Venn diagram to review.

Now, you’re ready. Remember, there’s only one correct option in each question.

1. Lo hago __________ quiero.
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

2. Lo leo, __________ me lo regalaron.
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

3. Te ayudo __________ tengo tiempo.
   1. porque
   2. , ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

4. Lo bebo porque me __________.
   1. gusta
   2. guste
   3. Both options are correct.

5. Trabajamos no __________ queremos, sino porque necesitamos dinero.
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

6. Nado todos los días no porque __________. Me obligó mi doctor.
   1. quiero
   2. quiera
   3. Both options are correct.

7. Habla con tu mamá. No, __________.
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

8. Me habla solamente __________ quiere salir con mi hermana.
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

9. Te escribo, __________ necesito una respuesta
   1. porque
   2. ya que
   3. Both options are correct.

10. ¿Por qué lo hiciste? __________ me ofendió.
    1. Porque
    2. Por qué
    3. Both options are correct.

See the answer key. ➡️

Practice Your New Spanish Skills in Real-Time

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Let our friendly, certified Spanish teachers from Guatemala help you reach your fluency goals and practice porque and ya que in the live conversation! 

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Quiz Answer Key

1. porque
2. ya que
3. Both options are correct
4. gusta
5. porque
6. Both options are correct
7. ya que
8. porque
9. ya que
10. porque

• Author
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Olga Put

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.

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