¿Que tienes?

Question

Not long ago, a friend noticed that I my mood was a bit "down."

He asked, ¿Que tienes?"

Is this an idiom meaning "What's wrong?"

It must be, because once I asked a vendor "¿Que tienes?" when I should have asked "¿Que vende?"

Answer 1

¿Qué (problema) tienes? --- ¿Qué te pasa? (this question in some countries is aggressive, but it also depends on your tone of voice. In Honduras it would be interpreted as aggressive 90% of the time.) ¿Cómo te sientes? --- How do you feel? is the safe alternative.

¿Qué tiene el (niño)? --- What's the matter with...?

¿Qué tienes (para vender)? --- What are you selling?

These are short phrases universally known, that are interpreted depending on the place or situation we are in. Nothing uncommon or colloquial or anything like that.

• Very helpful. Muchisima gracias. - 005457e3 Nov 7, 2009