Portuguese Phrase
Por que você quer este emprego?
Meaning
The sentence asks the interviewee to explain the reason behind their interest in the specific job being offered. It is a direct, yet polite, way to probe motivation during a job interview.
When to use
Use this question in a formal or semi‑formal job interview, career counseling session, or any situation where you need to understand a candidate’s motivation for a particular position.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Porquevocêqueresteemprego?
Por que (why)
Use "por que" as two separate words when asking a question; "porque" (one word) means "because".
Você (subject pronoun)
"Você" is the informal second‑person singular pronoun, commonly used in most Brazilian interview contexts.
Quer (present of querer)
"Quer" is the third‑person singular present form of "querer" (to want) and agrees with the subject "você".
Este (demonstrative adjective)
"Este" points to something close to the speaker; it matches the masculine noun "emprego".
Emprego (noun)
"Emprego" means "job" or "position"; it is a masculine singular noun.
🗨In Conversation
Por que você quer este emprego?
Why do you want this job?
Eu admiro a missão da empresa e acredito que minhas habilidades em marketing digital podem contribuir para o crescimento da equipe.
I admire the company's mission and believe my digital marketing skills can contribute to the team's growth.
✕Common Mistakes
Porque você quer este emprego?
Use "por que" (two words) when asking a question; "porque" means "because".
Por que você quer esse emprego?
"Esse" refers to something near the listener; "este" is correct for something near the speaker.
Por que você queres este emprego?
In Brazilian Portuguese the verb form for "você" is "quer", not "queres" (European Portuguese).
↔Alternatives
Qual é a sua motivação para este cargo?
What is your motivation for this position?
O que o atrai neste emprego?
What attracts you to this job?
Por que você se interessou por esta vaga?
Why did you become interested in this vacancy?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, interviewers often use "você" even in formal settings, but you may hear "o senhor"/"a senhora" in very traditional companies. Remember to keep your tone respectful and concise; overly long answers can be seen as unfocused. Also, never confuse "por que" (why) with "porque" (because) when forming questions.