Difference between "tengas" and "tienes"

Question

My question: What is the difference between "tengas" and "tienes". Please I am so confused, especially because a mexican girl asked me if I had a girlfriend and I told her no. She responded by saying "Que bueno. No tengas novia". So what is this implying with the "tengas" ?

Answer 1

Tengas is subjunctive, tienes indicative.

Subjunctive is used to indicate a feeling about something.

Qué bueno que no tengas novia.

How good that you would not have a girlfriend. Basically saying that she is glad that you don't have a girlfriend.

There really should be a que connecting them if I understand Spanish grammar correctly.

"Qué (whatever) que..." will be followed by subjunctive because the first part makes a declaration of feeling for what follows (the second) que- it does not declare the second part, instead simply gives a feeling about it.

You could turn it around and use indicative:

No tienes novia. Qué bueno.

Here you declare the first part, then give a feeling. The first part stands on its own.

I am an intermediate level learner, please wait for other comments in case I missed something.

I agree, Bosque that there should be a relative pronoun 'que' connecting the two parts of the sentence: Qué bueno que no tengas novia. I'm not sure why she should say this unless she were interested in the questioner and was pleased that he was free ;) - - FELIZ77, Jul 11, 2016

That was my assumption as well. :) - bosquederoble, Jul 11, 2016

Estoy de acuerdo en todo menos en un pequeño matíz. Siempre dices que estas en un nivel intermedio de español, y eso no es cierto , sabes mas gramática que mi antigua profesora de lengua española;) - 000a35ff, Jul 11, 2016

una explicación inmejorable - 000a35ff, Jul 11, 2016

bosquederoble, el rey de la grámatica - jtaniel, Jul 11, 2016

What great praise from Astotxua and well deserved Bosque. Thanks for all the effort you put into answering. This may have been one of your simpler ones but it really flicked a switch for me regarding the subjunctive. Cheers. - jellonz, Jul 11, 2016

You could say "Qué bueno es que no tengas novia". To emphasize the first part is the declarative part- it would not be "qué bueno sea". :) - bosquederoble, Jul 11, 2016