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QUICK ANSWER
"What" is a form of "what", a pronoun which is often translated as "qué". "Why" is a form of "why", an adverb which is often translated as "por qué". Learn more about the difference between "what" and "why" below.
what(
wuht
)A pronoun is a word that stands in for a noun (e.g., she).
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).
why(
way
)An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., The cat and the dog slept.).
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
An interjection is a short utterance that expresses emotion, hesitation, or protest (e.g., Wow!).