porque no

because ... not

→ porque
phrase Very common #860
because ... not Used to give a reason when the following verb is negated. Do not confuse it with the question ¿por qué no?, which means 'why not?'
SP: No fui porque no tenía tiempo.
EN: I didn't go because I didn't have time.

No quiero que vaya solo a esa parte de la ciudad porque no la conoce bien de noche.

I don't want him to go to that part of the city alone because he doesn't know it well at night.

Te sientes culpable porque no estabas ahí cuando tuvo su accidente.

You feel guilty because you weren't there when he had his accident.

— Incendies (2010)

Seguí durmiendo porque no sonó la alarma.

I kept sleeping because the alarm didn’t go off.

Porque no tienes un reto.

Because you don't have a challenge.

— ¡Que te den profe! (2013)

Porque no anda el teléfono.

Because the phone isn't working.

— El secreto de sus ojos (2009)

Son lindos porque no van a ningún lado.

They're cute because they're not going anywhere.

— La gran belleza (2013)

Porque no le veo.

Because I don't see him.

— [REC] (2007)

Tom dejó el curso porque no soportaba a su profesor.

Tom dropped the course because he couldn’t stand his teacher.

Llegué tarde porque no me levanté a mi hora.

I arrived late because I didn't get up on time.

Susie no fue capaz de participar en el juego porque no se estaba sintiendo bien.

Susie wasn't able to participate in the game because she wasn't feeling well.

Me operarán otro día, porque no es urgente.

They’ll operate on me another day because it’s not urgent.

Él reprobó el examen porque no había estudiado.

He failed the exam because he hadn't studied.

Porque no es importante.

Because it's not important.

— Perfectos desconocidos (2016)

Le fue mal en el examen porque no estudió lo suficiente.

He did poorly on the exam because he didn't study enough.

Porque no es verdad que una mujer pueda cambiar a un hombre.

Because it's not true that a woman can change a man.

— Fellini, ocho y medio (1963)

Tengo hambre porque no almorcé.

I'm hungry because I didn't have lunch.

Es porque no mezclamos nuestra gasolina con nada.

It's because we don't mix our gasoline with anything.

— Porco Rosso (1992)

Presta atención a lo que te digo porque no lo voy a repetir.

Pay attention to what I'm telling you because I'm not going to repeat it.

Porque no parece muy efectivo.

Because it doesn't seem very effective.

— Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal (2001)

Me pareció raro porque no me costó encontrarle la vena.

It seemed strange to me because it wasn't hard to find the vein.

— Crudo (2017)

Señor, está a dieta, pero no entiendo porque no baja de peso.

Sir, you are on a diet, but I don't understand why you aren't losing weight.

— Dangal (2016)

Sólo porque no pertenecía al Partido.

Only because he didn’t belong to the Party.

— Good bye, Lenin! (2003)

Él suspendió el examen porque no había estudiado lo suficiente.

He failed the exam because he hadn't studied enough.

No porque no hayamos aprendido a utilizar los ordenadores.

Not because we haven't learned to use computers.

Dijo que era tacaño porque no le compré un anillo de diamantes.

He said I was stingy because I didn't buy him a diamond ring.

— Malcolm X (1992)

A continuación, seguir con su plan porque no prueba nada.

Then, continue with your plan because it proves nothing.

— Mother Night (1996)

Solo porque no pueda jugar no significa que no lo pueda ver.

Just because I can't play doesn't mean I can't watch.

— Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Porque no tratan de adaptarse.

Because they don't try to adapt.

— Los falsificadores (2007)

Porque no confiamos en los extraños.

Because we don't trust strangers.

No se puede limpiar bien porque no se ve bien.

It can't be cleaned properly because it doesn't look good.

— Ladrón de bicicletas (1948)

Porque no respondo a cosas como esa.

Because I don't respond to things like that.

No puedo aprender finés porque no quiero vivir en Finlandia.

I can't learn Finnish because I don't want to live in Finland.

Porque no voy a empezar a perder.

Because I'm not going to start losing.

— Whiplash (2014)

Porque no diría eso.

Because I wouldn't say that.

— State and Main (2000)

Sí te hiere, porque no eres capaz de soportar la verdad.

Yes, it hurts you, because you are not able to bear the truth.

— Fresas salvajes (1957)

Pero los cinco nos vimos porque no sabíamos cómo proceder.

But the five of us met because we didn't know how to proceed.

— Zeta (2026)

Porque no me agradas.

Because I don't like you.

— Estación central de Brasil (1998)

Porque no siempre tengo tiempo para llamarte.

Because I don't always have time to call you.

— Toni Erdmann (2016)

Puede que esté enfermo porque no ha venido a trabajar en toda la semana.

He may be sick because he hasn't come to work all week.

En servicios así normalmente no, porque no hay mucha urgencia.

In services like this, normally not, because there isn't much urgency.

— [REC] (2007)

Creo que voy a cambiar de trabajo porque no estoy contenta aquí.

I think I'm going to change jobs because I'm not happy here.

Trabaja solo en su taller porque no confía en ayudantes.

He works alone in his workshop because he doesn't trust assistants.

Tengo hambre porque no he almorzado.

I'm hungry because I haven't had lunch.

Porque no sólo te das importancia, es que eres importante.

Because it’s not just that you attach importance to yourself—you actually are important.

— Oppenheimer (2023)

Sobre todo porque no sucede nunca.

Especially because it never happens.

— Taxi Express (1998)

Creo que no me va a ir bien, porque no escucho nada.

I don't think I'm going to do well, because I can't hear anything.

— El chico y la garza (2023)

Estoy pensando en cambiar de trabajo porque no estoy contento.

I'm thinking of changing jobs because I'm not happy.

Bueno, porque no preguntaste.

Well, because you didn't ask.

— Ne Zha (2019)

Tom y Mary suspendieron porque no estudiaron.

Tom and Mary failed because they didn't study.

El café está amargo porque no le puse azúcar.

The coffee is bitter because I didn’t add any sugar.

Te sientes culpable porque no estabas ahí cuando ella murió.

You feel guilty because you weren't there when she died.

— Incendies (2010)

Porque no haré el ridículo, Rose.

Because I won't make a fool of myself, Rose.

— Titanic (1997)

Tom le dijo a Mary que no lo esperara porque no llegaría a casa hasta muy tarde.

Tom told Mary not to wait for him because he wouldn’t get home until very late.

Se calló porque no quería preguntar.

She remained silent because she didn't want to ask.

Dame una buena razón de porque no.

Give me a good reason why not.

— Núremberg (2025)

Porque no hubiésemos tenido esta conversación.

Because we wouldn't have had this conversation.

Estará estudiando para los exámenes finales porque no contesta el teléfono desde ayer.

He must be studying for his final exams because he hasn't answered his phone since yesterday.

Ni siquiera me hables a mí de esto, porque no me acordaré.

Don't even talk to me about this, because I won't remember.

— Todo a la vez en todas partes (2022)

Pidieron menos cantidad porque no iban a poder con todo.

They asked for a smaller quantity because they wouldn't be able to handle it all.

Porque no creo que lo tengan.

Because I don't think they have it.

— Elephant (2003)

Lo hice porque no escucho una mierda de ti.

I did it because I don’t hear a damn thing from you.

— The Smashing Machine (2025)

Porque no lo habían visto.

Because they hadn’t seen it.

Porque no?

Why not?

— Lazzaro feliz (2018)

Tom no puede venir hoy a trabajar porque no se encuentra bien.

Tom can't come to work today because he's not feeling well.

Porque no sabíamos que nunca iba a ganar La Garra.

Because we didn't know that La Garra was never going to win.

— GOAT: Como cabras (2026)

Porque no muere fácilmente.

Because it doesn't die easily.

— The Internship (2026)

No, Josh, porque no acepto órdenes.

No, Josh, because I don't take orders.

— Juno (2007)

Estas cansada porque no dormiste bien anoche con tanto ruido.

You're tired because you didn't sleep well last night with so much noise.

Porque no sé hacer nada más.

Because I don't know how to do anything else.

— Peaky Blinders: El hombre inmortal (2026)

Tengo hambre porque no he desayunado.

I'm hungry because I haven't had breakfast.

Porque no fui lo bastante duro con esa vieja judía.

Because I wasn't hard enough on that old Jewish woman.

— Ha vuelto (2015)

El casero le dijo que se fuera porque no había pagado el alquiler.

The landlord told him to leave because he hadn't paid the rent.

No porque no confiara en ti.

Not because I didn't trust you.

— RRR (2022)

Déjame ponerme mis lentes porque no te escucho.

Let me put on my glasses because I can’t hear you.

Porque no conduces bien.

Because you don't drive well.

— Victoria (2015)

Porque no viven bajo el comunismo.

Because they do not live under communism.

— State and Main (2000)

Pensaba que estaba allí, porque no hacía falta a nadie.

I thought I was there because no one needed me.

— ¡Kin-Dza-Dza! (1986)

Porque no dejaban de pasar cosas.

Because things kept happening.

— SEND HELP (Enviad ayuda) (2026)

Porque no sabemos lo que viene después.

Because we don't know what comes next.

Se hace la dormida porque no quiere hablar con nadie.

She pretends to be asleep because she doesn't want to talk to anyone.

— La dolce vita (1960)

Ahora te digo porque no avanzamos.

Now I'll tell you why we aren't making progress.

— Quemado por el sol (1994)

Porque no estabas invitado.

Because you weren't invited.

— Academia Rushmore (1998)

Tengo hambre porque no desayuné.

I'm hungry because I didn't have breakfast.

Probablemente porque no leí las instrucciones.

Probably because I didn't read the instructions.

No puedes saberlo porque no estabas.

You can't know that because you weren't there.

— Volver (2006)

Es porque no nos hemos presentado.

It's because we haven't introduced ourselves.

— 28 años después: El templo de los huesos (2026)

Porque no estás solo.

Because you are not alone.

— Gully Boy (2019)

Haces esa pregunta porque no has estado casada.

You ask that question because you have not been married.

Porque no prestas atención en la clase.

Because you don't pay attention in class.

Porque no gritó.

Because he didn't scream.

— Retrato de una mujer en llamas (2019)

Creía que estaba enfadada conmigo porque no pagué a tiempo la factura.

I thought she was angry with me because I didn't pay the bill on time.

No me terminé la sopa porque no podía.

I didn't finish the soup because I couldn't.

— Tampopo (1985)

Porque no te veo nunca, mi amor, nunca.

Because I never see you, my love, never.

— Diarios de motocicleta (2004)

Pero no la puede ver porque no tiene ojos.

But he cannot see her because he has no eyes.

— El hombre sin pasado (2010)

Pero es porque no me encanta Dickens.

But that's because I don't love Dickens.

— Eternity (2025)

Sólo porque no podamos verlos, no significa que no estén aquí.

Just because we can't see them, doesn't mean they aren't here.

— Leviatán (2014)

Él suspendió el examen porque no había estudiado.

He failed the exam because he hadn't studied.

Yo no puedo decir quién era porque no lo vi.

I can't say who it was because I didn't see him.

— Volver (2006)

También apestan porque no se bañan.

They stink too because they don't bathe.

— Porco Rosso (1992)

No porque no quisiera.

Not because I didn’t want to.

— Un lugar en ninguna parte (1988)

Solo porque no sabías al respecto no significa que no sucedió.

Just because you didn’t know about it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

Porque no vais a llevar a cabo nada.

Because you're not going to accomplish anything.

— Stalker (1979)

Se va porque no hay esperanza.

He's leaving because there's no hope.

— El señor de los anillos: El retorno del rey (2003)

Porque no lo habían subido.

Because they hadn't uploaded it.

Porque no.

Why not.

— Mi amigo Ivan Lapshin (1985)

Porque no duermo cuando te quedas conmigo.

Because I don't sleep when you stay with me.

Porque no sabía lo que era.

Because I didn't know what it was.

— Tesis (1996)

Papá y yo hemos estado muy preocupados porque no venías.

Dad and I have been very worried because you weren't coming.

— Caché (Escondido) (2005)

Mi hija dice que soy anticuada porque no uso celular.

My daughter says I’m old-fashioned because I don’t use a cell phone.

Porque no siguió mi consejo.

Because he didn't follow my advice.

— Indiana Jones y la última cruzada (1989)

Debía de tener un problema del corazón porque no se movía.

He must have had a heart problem because he wasn't moving.

— It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)

Porque no es mi hermano.

Because he's not my brother.

— Intocable (2011)

Es porque no lo haces, no porque no puedas hacerlo.

It's because you don't do it, not because you can't.

Ese pez no puede ver porque no tiene ojos.

That fish cannot see because it has no eyes.

Porque no obedeció la orden.

Because he did not obey the order.

— Aguirre, la cólera de Dios (1972)

Porque no te conviene.

Because it's not in your best interest.

— Hasta que llegó su hora (1968)

Se llama así porque no es una isla en absoluto, es un enorme gigante.

It is called that because it is not an island at all; it is a huge giant.

— La canción del mar (2014)

Necesito las zanahorias porque no tocaron las verduras.

I need the carrots because they didn't get any vegetables.

— Sin conexión (2025)

La razón por la cual eso pasó fue porque no tuviste cuidado.

The reason that happened was because you weren’t careful.

Porque no te gusto yo.

Because you don't like me.

— La piel que habito (2011)

Estará contando los días para irse de vacaciones porque no habla de otra cosa.

She'll be counting down the days until her vacation because that's all she talks about.

Porque no puedes hacerlo.

Because you can't do it.

— Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)