Qu’est-ce qui te manque?

Question

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).

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted 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?

Céline Pickard · Answer

Bonjour Nancy,

Qui est petit ? = Who is small?
Qui est-ce qui fais ce bruit ? = Who (is it who) is making that noise ?

-> in both examples, "Qui" is a person. So,"qui/qui est-ce qui" + [conjugated verb] ? = Who + [conjugated verb]?
Attention:
Qui est-ce que tu aimes ? = Whom do you love?
-> "Qui est-ce que" + [noun/subject] + [conjugated verb] ?= Whom ?
 
Take a look the link below:
https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/how-to-ask-whom-qui-qui-est-ce-que-questions

Remember: 
Qui est-ce qui + [conjugated verb] ? = Who + [conjugated verb]?
versus
Qui est-ce que + [noun/subject] + [conjugated verb] ? = Whom do/did + [subject] + [verb]?

I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Jim Jones · Answer

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

Nancy Shor · Answer

I do understand the difference between a subject and an object. What I don’t understand is how to tell whether QUI is a person (who) or a thing (what) in the following sentences:

Qui est petit? (Is QUI a person or a thing?).

Qui est-ce qui est petit? (Is QUI EST-CE QUI a person or a thing?).

Anne Davies · Answer

I expect you have your answer by now, but the key thing in these confusing phrases is that both the qui and que have two different meanings and functions.

The qui and que (or rather qu’) at the beginning are interrogative pronouns and show whether it’s a person, qui or thing, qu’. The qui and que at the end of the phrase are relative pronouns and function only to show if they’re the subject or object of the verb.