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Using "que" in front of sentences
I was instant messaging some earlier. I fared pretty well:D... Anyway... I noticed that she used "que" to start off a lot of sentences. She speaks 0 english so I couldn't really ask her. A couple examples:
Que te me cuentas de ti.... you tell me about you... Que descanse.... ummmm... you rest... quizas.. Anyway... can someone explain to me the use of "que" in front of phrases where it seems like it isn't need? |
¿Qué te me cuentas de ti? (She was writing txtspk-es). "Qué" here is "what".
Que descanse: "que" + subjunctive expresses a wish. It's also used in reported speech with questions: A: ¿Qué quieres tomar? B: Soy sordo, no te oígo, ¿qué has dicho? A: Que ¿qué quieres tomar? |
My Latin American friends use the "Que ___________ " construction a lot:
Que rico!! (While eating: "How delicious!") Que pena!! (When my students complain about too much homework: "What a shame!") Que descances. (At the end of a conversation late in the evening: "Rest well.") Que triste! (When hearing a sad story: "How sad!") |
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If it isn't what you want to know, please provide some examples in English in which you think the word "que" is not needed. :) |
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It is a bad way to talk. Sometimes it is done to express endearment... The correct way: Que me cuentas (de ti.) |
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I had the same issue. From the sources that I looked up when "que" is used in a exclamatory statement, it could mean "So, What, How or Very." Por ejemplo..... ¡Qué grosero! = How rude! ¡Aye que rica! = Oh.. That's so/very delicious.... ¡Qué lastima! = What a pity/shame!
Espero que este ayudó ud. |
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An accent is missing, and also the interrogative signs: ¿Qué me cuentas (de ti)? Although this sentence is common in another way: ¿Qué te cuentas? If you wanted to say "tell me something about you" you wouldn't use "qué": Cuéntame algo sobre ti. The accent can give you a clue (what) ;) :) |
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"Qué lasitma" is using it as "what" so it is real easy. "Que grosero" is using it as "that" so it is easy.. same for "Que rica". For "Que me cuentas de ti"... is this saying ""so" tell me about you"? My problem is for phrases that doesn't seem like it need the word "that" or "what". I just asked someone who speaks spanish.. they said "qué me cuentas de ti" is actually saying "what can you tell me about you". It makes more sense now. My issue was that I didn't think it was being used as the word "what". |
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Accents in Spanish are not gratuitous... you can make an exercise to identify when the sentence needs a "que" and when a "qué". :)
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Still confused about que
Sorry to bring this up again, but I've been confused for a while about his mysterious que usage also.
prime example is pitbulls lyric "Que no pare la fiesta". Why is the que there? Couldnt he say "No pare la fiesta"? Thanks in advance! |
The conjunction is needed when expressing a wish or desire, and the clause that follows it is cast in the subjunctive mood.
Without the conjunction, your sentence is a command (imperative) rather than a wish. |
Thanks! Makes sense now.
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