In English when you don't want to give answer or when you don't answer and a person asks you "why?" some people then answer: "because!". What is corresponding word in German?

n.b. I've checked the dictionaries and I saw some translations for the word "because" but I'm not sure if it's for the meaning that I'm talking about.

  • 14
    Warum? – Darum! or Weshalb? – Deshalb! – Janka Dec 16 '16 at 5:21
  • 3
    Wieso? - So halt! – Ingmar Dec 16 '16 at 6:23
  • 4
    Or wieso? - nur so – DerPolyglott33 Dec 16 '16 at 6:27
  • 3
    Früher hieß es bei uns: Weil halt! – Thorsten Dittmar Dec 16 '16 at 8:51
  • &Janka, schreib deinen comment als Antwort. Ultra correct,, – Albrecht Hügli Jan 15 '19 at 0:20

An answer like this might usually be somewhat perky, hence uttered mostly colloquial.

For one, there’s darum. It even rhymes (Warum? – Darum!) and part of it shares the same etymology, so it is fitting, even though it obvisouly isn’t considered a translation of “because”.

Another rather slang expression might be weil (a straight translation of “because”) or even einfach weil (“just because”). Maybe you can also say einfach so (“just so”, “just because”).

Note that a dialog like Warum? – Einfach weil! should rather be a chat than a more formal conversation.

Also, due to its nonstandard nature, there will be regional variations.

  • You might also comment on the syllable of emphasis. "Darum" can here also be said with an emphasis on the first syllable instead of the last, to further enhance the fact that this should be the end of discussion. – Beta Dec 16 '16 at 8:44
  • @Beta: That’s a good point. The German Wiktionary (link in answer) lists these pronunciations: [daˈʀʊm] and [ˈdaːʀʊm] (emphatically). However, I’d rather see this answer made to a community wiki, so that we could add the comments on the OP to make a extensive list of appropriate analogies. – dakab Dec 16 '16 at 9:55
  • What's the difference between a "chat" and a "conversation" to you? Are you referring to a chat as something less formal or the "online version" of chatting, ie using written text? – Gerhard Dec 16 '16 at 9:59
  • @Gerhard: I was referring to chat as in chatter, not online chats. The difference is that it might be okay to respond with “Dah, because!” in everyday gossip, but not in a job interview or when talking to a superior. Nonetheless, the stylistic level in any chat is generally more casual than in any (formal) conversation. – dakab Dec 16 '16 at 10:34
  • @dakab: ah, okay. I was confused, because to me all chats are conversations, but not all conversations are chats. I've edited your answer, roll back if you disagree with the edit. – Gerhard Dec 16 '16 at 11:09

There are several answers for that depending on the Situation:

Warum? -Darum!

Warum? -Einfach so!

Weshalb? -Deshalb!

Warum/Weshalb? -Einfach so!

Warum/Weshalb? -So halt! Warum/Weshalb? -Aus Gründen!

Another funny one would be (however, almost nobody says that):

Warum? -Aufgrund von Gründen.

  • 1
    Aus Gründen! and For reasons! are popular replies in German no English right now. PS: Nicht zu vergessen wieso? – *dieso! – Crissov Feb 10 '17 at 20:53
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    I have never heard wieso? - dieso! – hm1912 Feb 10 '17 at 20:57
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    Maybe I should have added an emoji: 😜 – Crissov Feb 10 '17 at 20:59
  • 1
    +1 on "So halt" - IMHO the best (colloquial) translation of "Because!" – tofro Feb 13 '17 at 8:08
  • "Aus Gründen", by my personal experience, is relatively recent but has indeed become one of the most popular answers these days. – Tom Jul 19 '18 at 13:45

In my childhood, it was popular to deflect the question "Warum?" with the idiomatic formula "Warum, warum!? Warum ist die Banane krumm?" indicating that further "Warum?" questions wouldn't make sense. However, it's only appropriate when the only contribution of the conversation partner is asking "Warum?", as mostly children do.

Vati, warum gehst du fort?

Weil ich arbeiten muß.


Um Geld zu verdienen.


Damit wir einkaufen können.


Weil wir nicht alles selbst herstellen können, was wir brauchen.


Weil wir weder genug Zeit noch die Mittel und Fähigkeiten dazu haben.


Warum, warum! Warum ist die Banane krumm?


I think most common is

Warum? Darum!

For me personally it depends on the situation. Who is asking, what is it about and how is the mood?

If I'm kind of annoyed, the answer could be

Das ist einfach so.

If I just don't want to answer the question, I would also say sometimes

Wegen der Schiefe der Ekliptik.


Since it appears only deeply hidden in the comment of Thorsten Dittmar, but I find it such a perfect translation, I'd like to make more visible the possibility of translating because! as:

Weil halt!

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