Qu’est-ce qui te manque?

NancyB2Kwiziq community member

Qu’est-ce qui te manque?

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).

Asked 1 month ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

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?

 

JimC1 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

Qu’est-ce qui te manque?

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).

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