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Some people use "how come" to mean "why". "How come" is another way to say "why". In other words, when you want to know the reason for something, instead of saying "why", you can use "how come".

Are there any differences? In terms of meaning they mean the same thing. It's just that "how come" is more informal. So, if you're writing, you may want to use "why". But if you're speaking, you can use both.

That said, perhaps, you want to be careful when you make a sentence.

Let's compare two questions, one using "why" and the other "how come". Why are you here? How come you are here? Why didn't you tell me? How come you didn't tell me? As you can see, how come is followed directly by a subject and a verb in that order.

Now. Would you like to try a quiz? You'll be given three options. Please listen carefully and choose the one that is NOT true. Ready?

1. How come is another way to say "why".

2. How come is more formal than "why".

3. How come is followed by a subject and then a verb.