Breakdown of Conque eres sigiloso, pero te atraparon.
ser
to be
pero
but
te
to you / you (direct object)
atrapar
to catch (to trap)
Questions & Answers about Conque eres sigiloso, pero te atraparon.
What exactly does conque mean here, and could I just use así que?
Conque translates to "so" or "so then," but it has a specific flavor. It is a deductive conjunction, meaning it draws a conclusion from something the speaker just saw or heard. You could use así que or entonces, but conque often carries a slightly reproachful, sarcastic, or surprised tone, which fits perfectly with teasing someone about getting caught despite being stealthy.
Why is conque written as one word instead of two?
As a single word, conque is a conjunction meaning "so" or "so then." If it were two words, con que, it would mean "with which" or "with that" (as in el arma con que lo atacó - the weapon with which he attacked him). There is also con qué (with an accent), which is used in questions (like ¿Con qué pagaste? - What did you pay with?).
Why is eres in the indicative mood rather than the subjunctive?
Even though conque expresses a reaction like surprise or sarcasm here, it introduces a deduction or a statement of fact, so it triggers the indicative mood. It is almost always followed by the indicative or the imperative, making eres the correct choice to state the fact that the person is stealthy.
Why use the third-person plural atraparon if we don't know exactly who caught the person?