Breakdown of ¡Conque tienes el descaro de esparcir los desperdicios!
de
from / of
tener
to have
conque
so / so then (drawing a conclusion)
el descaro
the nerve / the cheek (shamelessness)
Questions & Answers about ¡Conque tienes el descaro de esparcir los desperdicios!
Why is conque written as one word here, and why is it followed by the indicative tienes instead of the subjunctive?
As a single word, conque is a conjunction meaning "so" or "so then," often used to draw a conclusion or express surprise. Because you are stating a deduced fact based on evidence ("So, it turns out you really do have..."), it triggers the indicative mood (tienes), not the subjunctive.
Would the meaning change if it were written as two words (con que or con qué)?
Yes, drastically. Conque (one word) means "so." Con que (two words) means "with which" (e.g., el arma con que lo hizo - the weapon with which he did it). Con qué (two words, with an accent) means "with what" (e.g., ¿Con qué lo limpiaste? - With what did you clean it?).
Is tener el descaro de the standard way to say "to have the nerve" in Spanish?
Yes! El descaro translates to "the nerve," "the cheek," or "shamelessness." Just like in English, it is followed by the preposition de and an infinitive verb: tener el descaro de esparcir (to have the nerve to scatter). You might also hear tener la audacia de.
Could I just say la basura instead of los desperdicios?