English · Question Words
how come
/haʊ ˈkʌm/
[/haʊ ˈkʌm/]
why
Intermediatephrase
Definition
An informal way to ask why something happened.
Example
How come you didn't tell me about the change of plan?
How come you didn't tell me about the change of plan?
Etymology
A shortening of 'how does it come that', recorded from the 18th century.
How & Where It’s Used
Informal and conversational; common in American English.