Deutsche
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 | |
|---|---|
| I guess the front left burner is the biggest, isn't it? | Ich schätze, der Brenner unten links ist am Größten, oder? |
| Oh, he is such a nice friend, isn't he? | Oh, ist er nicht ein netter Freund? |
| It's not for ships to approach, is it? | Sie wurde nicht für Schiffe zum anlegen gebaut, oder? |
| Excuse me! But you said if we pay 100 more each... didn't you? | Entschuldige! Aber du hast gesagt, wenn jeder von uns 100 mehr bezahlt... oder nicht? |
| But it seems you don't really want to, do you? | Aber es scheint so als möchtest du das nicht wirklich, oder? |
| But I see what you mean, that's interesting, isn't it? | Aber ich verstehe was du meinst. Das ist interessant, oder? |
| How amazing it is, isn't it? | Beeindruckend oder? |
| And bugs are not on the menu, are they? | Und Käfer stehen nicht auf der Karte, oder? |
| Why is it? I hope you are not homophobic, are you? | Warum? Ich hoffe du bist nicht schwulenfeindlich oder bist du das etwa? |
| You are a weird man, aren't you? | Du bist schon ein eigenartiger Mann, oder? |
| I haven't seen her since the argument, have you? | Ich habe sie seit dem Gespräch nicht gesehen und du? |
| We don't need a spoon, do we? | Wir brauchen keinen Löffel, oder? |
| Of course, but a pressure cooker is an extraordinary utensil, isn't it? | Natürlich, aber ein Dampfdrucktopf ist ein außergewöhnliches Kochgerät, oder? |
| Yes, I am, it's easy to spot an Australian accent, isn't it? | Ja, bin ich. Es ist einfach einen australischen Akzent zu erkennen, oder? |
| Because you didn't tell me you had an apron before, did you? | Weil du mir bisher nicht gesagt hast, dass du eine Schürze hast, oder? |
| You didn't print out that recipe in the year 2017, did you? | Du hast doch nicht wirklich im Jahr 2017 das Rezept ausgedruckt? |
