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(…, isn't it?)の Tag Questions, and Which Way You Say Them

Questions

は、のうしろにをくっつけたです。まりは3つ。をひっくりす(にはタグ)、じものを反復する(一般なら do)、にする。You're coming, aren't you? がです。そしてげるかげるかで、がはっきりわります。

A tag question is a statement with a short question clipped to the end. Three rules build it: flip the polarity, so a positive statement takes a negative tag; reuse the same verb, calling in do for ordinary verbs; and turn the subject into a pronoun. "You're coming, aren't you?" is the model. Whether your voice falls or rises at the end then changes what you've asked.

をひっくりしてくっつける

Flip the Polarity, Then Attach

なら、タグはなら、タグは。シーソーのようにきます。使のものをそのままってくればよく、be やならそれを、一般なら do / does / did をびます。えるので、Your brother works here, doesn't he? のように he へわります。

Positive first half, negative tag. Negative first half, positive tag. It tips to the opposite side every time, like a seesaw. The verb comes straight from the first half: be and auxiliaries repeat themselves, and ordinary verbs bring in do, does, or did. The subject always becomes a pronoun, so "Your brother works here" ends with doesn't he?

3つのまりをてはめる The three rules in action

You 're この いまのことを日本語の「〜している」となるが、では「一時である」ことをきもつ。 coming tonight, aren't you?

るよね?

タグ。beをそのまま反復 Positive to negative, with be repeating itself.

She didn't call back, did she?

してこなかったよね?

タグ。didn't の did を使う。 Negative to positive, reusing the did from didn't.

Your brother works here, doesn't he?

さん、ここでいてるんだよね?

一般なので does。は he にえる。 An ordinary verb, so does. The subject shrinks to he.

げてう(める)

えをめていない。「〜だよね」とき。 You're not really after an answer. It's a nudge toward agreement.

It's freezing in here, isn't it?

ここ、いよね?

げてう(ねる)

がなく、えてほしい。ふつうのい。 You're genuinely unsure and want an answer. Close to an ordinary question.

You locked the door, didn't you?

、かけたよね?

よくある Common Mistake

You're coming tonight, are you?

るよね?(としたいつもりで)

You're coming tonight, aren't you?

るよね?

がひっくりっていません。なら、タグはになります。ねた are you? というにはしますが、わります。「へえ、るんだ?」というきや、によってはとしてくので、ただしたいだけのではきます。したいのなら aren't you? を使ってください。

The polarity hasn't flipped. A positive first half needs a negative tag. English does have same-polarity tags like "are you?", but they mean something else: they carry surprise, and depending on the delivery they can sound pointed. That's a poor fit when all you want is confirmation, so reach for aren't you?

  • ..., right? 〜だよね? えなくてよいタグ。くだけた The universal tag: no polarity, no verb to match. Very common in casual speech.
  • ..., don't you think? 〜だとわない? める。タグよりいぶんたりがやわらかい。 Invites agreement with an opinion, and its length makes it gentler than a bare tag.
  • Let's ..., shall we? 〜しようよ、ね? Let's のタグ。will we? とはわない。 The tag reserved for Let's. Never will we?
  • ..., will you? 〜してくれる? けてをやわらげる。には使いにくい。 Softens an imperative. Not one to use with someone senior to you.

まとめ Summary

  • にはタグ、にはタグ。 Positive statement, negative tag. Negative statement, positive tag.
  • のものを反復し、にする。 Reuse the verb from the first half and shrink the subject to a pronoun.
  • げるとめる、げるとねる。 Falling asks for agreement; rising asks a real question.
  • は aren't I? / shall we? / will you? / isn't there? と、げの(I don't think he'll come, will he?)の5つ。 Five irregulars: aren't I?, shall we?, will you?, isn't there?, and negative-raised sentences like "I don't think he'll come, will he?"

: 2026-07-25 Last checked: 2026-07-25