I don’t understand how to know whether this refers to a person (WHOM do you miss) or to a thing (WHAT are you missing).
Qu’est-ce qui te manque?
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NancyKwiziq community member
Qu’est-ce qui te manque?
This question relates to:French lesson "Qu'est-ce qui + [conjugated verb] = What [does]... (French Questions)"
Asked 1 month ago

Hi Nancy,
The relative pronouns qui and que are used differently, qui replaces a noun/subject and que a noun/object.
Furthermore, qui is never elided so qu' is que here.
With an odd construction like the verb 'manquer', I can understand your confusion but -
Qu'est ce qui te manques ? = What are you lacking/short of ?
If it was a person it would be -
Qui est-ce qui te manques ?/ Qui te manques ? = Who are you missing?
Hope this helps?
Jim Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Nancy,
It is tricky -- In this case "qui" is a relative pronoun and the verb manquer is being employed intransitively (to an indirect object) te.
So we have effectively "what (que) is it (est-ce) that (qui) is lacking / missing (manque) for / to / from you (te) "Qu'est-ce qui te manque"
I hope this helps.
Bonne continuation.
Jim
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