What is 何で (nande) in the sentence 何できた


In the sentence 何できた (nandekita), the **de** is a particle and connects
**nande** to the verb **kita** , but in the case of **nande** , there isn't a
particle, so what is it in the sentence?

I'm just confused about the fact that the words have to be connected by
particles? Or am I wrong?




> I'm just confused about the fact that the words have to be connected by
> particles?

In Japanese, instead of thinking the function of particles is not to connect
words, it is better to think of them as providing the role for the preceding
word. In 友達がパンを犬に上げた "the friend gave the bread to the dog", を indicates that
the bread was given, に that the dog was given to, and が that the friend gave.

Particles can be omitted, or replaced by pauses, in casual speech when it is
relatively unambiguous. 友達、犬にパン上げた.

However... 何で is an adverb. Adverbs do not get particles. We already know what
role adverbs play in a sentence - adverbial. 今日 "today", 速く "fast", 何で "why"
are all adverbs, and as such they have no use for particles.

(There are adverbial phrases that are made by using non-adverbs - these do
take particles to indicate adverbial usage, typically に, sometimes と. For
example, 静かに "silently" from "silent" + に, 犬みたいに "like a dog", ボスに言われたら通りに
"just as he was told to do by his boss".)

