Using "que" in front of sentences

[ItsThaMonsta]

I was instant messaging some earlier. I fared pretty well... 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?

[pjt33]

¿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?

[laepelba]

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!")

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by pjt33

¿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?

I am not referring to using "Qué" as the word "What" in front of sentences. That is normal. I am talking about when it does not mean "What" and it seems like it isn't needed.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ItsThaMonsta

I am not referring to using "Qué" as the word "What" in front of sentences. That is normal. I am talking about when it does not mean "What" and it seems like it isn't needed.

laepelba answered you correctly.

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.

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by laepelba

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!")

Yeah it was at the end when she said "que descanse"... but my first example "que te me cuentas de ti"... I still cant understand why it is in front here.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ItsThaMonsta

Yeah it was at the end when she said "que descanse"... but my first example "que te me cuentas de ti"... I still cant understand why it is in front here.

The bad part of that phrase is not the word "que" is the word "te"

It is a bad way to talk. Sometimes it is done to express endearment...

The correct way: Que me cuentas (de ti.)

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by chileno

The bad part of that phrase is not the word "que" is the word "te"

It is a bad way to tal. Sometimes it is done to express endearment...

The correct way: Que me cuentas (de ti.)

........ I am still just as confused. This is what I am saying when I didn't "que" was needed. "I think" this sentence is saying "tell me about you". If that is right then why is "que" there? That you tell me about you? or what you tell me about you? Or is that just how it is?

[Suavemente]

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.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by ItsThaMonsta

........ I am still just as confused. This is what I am saying when I didn't "que" was needed. "I think" this sentence is saying "tell me about you". If that is right then why is "que" there? That you tell me about you? or what you tell me about you? Or is that just how it is?

In this case: what do you tell me about you?

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)

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by Suavemente

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.

Its helps some.
"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".

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ItsThaMonsta

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".

Unfortunately is one of those words which you have to get accustomed. if it is of any consolation, the same word in English (that) gives us the same headache...

[ItsThaMonsta]

Originally Posted by irmamar

In this case: what do you tell me about you?

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)

Makes a lot of sense now... I didn't see this post. Yeah with the accents missing it can throw it off.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Accents in Spanish are not gratuitous... you can make an exercise to identify when the sentence needs a "que" and when a "qué".

[jcina]

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!

[Rusty]

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.

[jcina]

Thanks! Makes sense now.