using "por qué" to ask where something is

Question

Hello all

I have been told that to ask which platform a train leaves from or which door is the exit, you say: "¿Por qué anden sale el tren?" and ¿Por qué puerta sale?"

I don't understand this, how does it translate and would I use" por qué "to ask " which cup do I use?" for example. Please can someone clarify this.

thanks margaret

Please complete your SD profile - it helps help you - gracias. - ian-hill, Jul 9, 2014

Please fill out your profile so as we may better help you . Welcome to the forum . Buena suerte amiga. - ray76, Jul 9, 2014

Ian is right mate. - ray76, Jul 9, 2014

Thank you for filling out your profile , that is worth a vote from me . - ray76, Jul 9, 2014

And good luck to you on your learning path , you are going to have great fun here with us , I just know it. - ray76, Jul 9, 2014

Welcome to SD - thanks for filling out your profile amiga. - ian-hill, Jul 9, 2014

Good question! I learned something new. - rodneyp, Jul 9, 2014

Answer 1

Por cual plataforma sale el tren? or De que plataforma sale tren? but Por que plataforma sale... its right. And if you want to leave a place: Por que puerta se sale or por que puerta salgo or cual es la puerta de salida.. I don't know if it was helpful

yes, thanks. i realise that que can mean many things. - maglet, Jul 9, 2014

in this case "por que" not is "Why" would be something like "by Wich..." - 003e54f5, Jul 9, 2014

Wow, I never knew that. I stand corrected. - rodneyp, Jul 9, 2014

Answer 2

Wait, I am not all sure that what your teacher told you was wrong." Por" has several uses & one of them is with respect to talking about places.If you look up "por" on SpanDict you will find the following:

9 (lugar)

se va por ahí it's that way;¿por dónde? which way?;ir a Bilbao por Santander to go to Bilbao via Santander;cruzar la frontera por Canfranc to cross the border at Canfranc;pasar por Madrid to go through Madrid;se asomaron por la ventana they leaned out of the window

iban cantando por la calle they were walking along the street singing;paseábamos por la playa we were walking along the beach;por todas partes everywhere;por todo el país throughout the country

viajar por el mundo to travel (around) the world.

So if you ask someone at the train station your question, someone might answer you by saying " El tren sale por anden 4."

thanks for your help. The whole thing with por and para seems muddy!! - maglet, Jul 9, 2014

Answer 3

EDIT:

It turns out I was completely wrong.

That will teach me to doubt a Spanish teacher and native speaker ever again! I removed my incorrect comments so as not to confuse or misguide someone.

Here is another example of using por que.

Thanks pablo064!

my teacher is from mexico, maybe it's a latin american thing? thanks, i thought it must be wrong. - maglet, Jul 9, 2014

Answer 4

I used the translation function of this website. One of your sentences translates as: ¿De qué plataforma sale el tren?

I suggest that you translate the other sentences yourself. Good luck!