हिन्दी
In English, a tag question is a statement followed by a mini-question. The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag". We use question tags at the end of statements to check that something is true.
They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?"
They are very common in English.
Example tag questions :
Your name's Mary, isn't it?
They're getting married in July, aren't they?
You'd like to go to the theatre, wouldn't you?
Fred sat his exams last week, didn't he?
It's not going to rain this afternoon, is it?
You've been to London, haven't you?
She likes playing tennis, doesn't she?
Notice that in English we often use tag questions to ask for information or help, starting with a negative statement. This is quite a friendly/polite way of making a request.
Example questions :
Direct question : "Where is the police station?" (not very polite)
Indirect question : "Do you know where the police station is?" (slightly more polite)
Negative tag question : "You wouldn't know where the police station is, would you?" (very polite)
In English we can change the meaning of a tag question with the sound of our voice. With rising intonation, it sounds like a real question. But if our intonation falls, it sounds more like a statement that doesn't require a real answer.
How do we answer a tag question? Often, we just say Yes or No. Sometimes we may repeat the tag and reverse it (..., do they? Yes, they do).
Notes for use of question tags :
Be very careful about answering tag questions. In some languages, an opposite system of answering is used, and non-native English speakers sometimes answer in the wrong way. This can lead to a lot of confusion! In some languages, people answer a question like "It's not raining, is it?" with "Yes" (meaning "Yes, I agree with you"). This is the wrong answer in English! In English we would reply to that question with "No" or "No, it isn't" to agree that it isn't raining.
| Question tag example sentences | |
|---|---|
| How amazing it is, isn't it? | यह कितना अद्भुत है ना? |
| But it seems you don't really want to, do you? | लेकिन ऐसा लगता है तुम असल में यह चाहते ही नहीं हो, है ना? |
| Of course, but a pressure cooker is an extraordinary utensil, isn't it? | जरुर, लेकिन प्रेशर कुकर एक असाधारण बर्तन है, है ना? |
| Yes, I am, it's easy to spot an Australian accent, isn't it? | हाँ, मैं हूँ, ऑस्ट्रेलियाई उच्चारण पहचानना बहुत आसान है, है ना? |
| I haven't seen her since the argument, have you? | बहस के बाद से मैंने उसे नहीं देखा है, तुमने देखा? |
| You are a weird man, aren't you? | तुम अजीब आदमी हो, है ना? |
| Because you didn't tell me you had an apron before, did you? | क्योंकि तुमने मुझे पहले नहीं बताया कि तुम्हारे पास एप्रन है, बताया था? |
| And bugs are not on the menu, are they? | और कीड़े मेन्यू में नहीं हैं, है ना? |
| Why is it? I hope you are not homophobic, are you? | ऐसा क्यों? उम्मीद है तुम्हें समलैंगिकों से डर नहीं लगता, है ना? |
| It's not for ships to approach, is it? | यहाँ जहाज़ नहीं आते, है ना? |
| Oh, he is such a nice friend, isn't he? | ओह, वो तुम्हारा कितना अच्छा दोस्त है, है ना? |
| You didn't print out that recipe in the year 2017, did you? | तुमने वो रेसिपी 2017 में प्रिंट नहीं की, है ना? |
| Excuse me! But you said if we pay 100 more each... didn't you? | माफ़ करना! लेकिन तुमने कहा था अगर हममें से प्रत्येक 100 ज्यादा दे तो... नहीं कहा था? |
| But I see what you mean, that's interesting, isn't it? | लेकिन मैं समझ गयी तुम्हारा क्या मतलब है, यह दिलचस्प है, है ना? |
| We don't need a spoon, do we? | हमें चम्मच की जरुरत नहीं है, है ना? |
| I guess the front left burner is the biggest, isn't it? | मुझे लगता है नीचे बाएं तरफ वाला सबसे बड़ा है, है ना? |
