# why come

**Pronunciation:** /waɪ kʌm/ · WY KUM

**CEFR level:** B2

**Part of speech:** idiom

## Meaning

An informal way to ask for the reason or purpose of something, equivalent to 'why' or 'how come'. It is used in casual conversation, often to express surprise or curiosity about an action or situation.

## Examples

- Why come you didn't call me last night?
- Why come the store is closed on Sundays?
- Why come you always late to class?

## Synonyms

- why — Standard and neutral, used in all contexts.
- how come — Informal, common in everyday speech, often implies surprise.
- what for — Asks for the purpose or reason, slightly more direct.
- for what reason — Formal and explicit, used in written or careful speech.

## Common patterns

- why come + subject + verb — Asking for a reason in an informal question. — Why come you didn't tell me earlier?
- why come + clause — Asking for the reason behind a situation. — Why come the sky is so dark today?

## Collocations

- why come you — Why come you always forget your keys?
- why come + negative — Why come you didn't come to the party?

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/why%20come

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