Question Tags
Explanation
Question Tags (Etiquetas Interrogativas) are short questions added to the end of a statement. They are used to confirm or
check information, or to seek agreement. The structure typically involves a positive statement followed by a negative question
tag, or a negative statement followed by a positive question tag.
Rules
1. Positive Statement, Negative Tag:
If the main part of the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative.
Example: You are coming, aren't you?
Translation: Você está vindo, não está?
2. Negative Statement, Positive Tag:
If the main part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
Example: You aren't coming, are you?
Translation: Você não está vindo, está?
3. Pronoun and Auxiliary Verb:
The question tag uses the same auxiliary or modal verb as the main part of the sentence and the subject pronoun.
Example: She can swim, can't she?
Translation: Ela sabe nadar, não sabe?
4. Special Cases:
I am: The question tag for "I am" is "aren't I".
Example: I am right, aren't I?
Translation: Eu estou certo, não estou?
Imperatives: Use "will you", "won't you", "can you", or "can't you" for imperatives.
Example: Open the door, will you?
Translation: Abra a porta, por favor?
Examples
1. Positive Statement, Negative Tag:
You like coffee, don't you?
Você gosta de café, não gosta?
2. Negative Statement, Positive Tag:
He doesn't play soccer, does he?
Ele não joga futebol, joga?
3. Using Modal Verbs:
She will come, won't she?
Ela virá, não virá?
4. With "I am":
I am late, aren't I?
Eu estou atrasado, não estou?
5. With Imperatives:
Close the window, will you?
Feche a janela, por favor?
Structure
Affirmative Sentence + Negative Tag:
[Affirmative Sentence], [Negative Tag]?
Example: They have finished, haven't they?
Translation: Eles terminaram, não terminaram?
Negative Sentence + Positive Tag:
[Negative Sentence], [Positive Tag]?
Example: She hasn't called, has she?
Translation: Ela não ligou, ligou?
Translation in Portuguese
1. Positive Statement, Negative Tag:
Você gosta de chocolate, não gosta?
You like chocolate, don't you?
2. Negative Statement, Positive Tag:
Ele não mora aqui, mora?
He doesn't live here, does he?
3. Using Modal Verbs:
Nós podemos ir agora, não podemos?
We can go now, can't we?
4. With "I am":
Eu sou o melhor, não sou?
I am the best, aren't I?
5. With Imperatives:
Ajude-me com isso, por favor?
Help me with this, will you?
Exercises
Add Question Tags
1. She is your sister, ________?
Ela é sua irmã, ________?
2. You don't like fish, ________?
Você não gosta de peixe, ________?
3. They can play the piano, ________?
Eles sabem tocar piano, ________?
4. We aren't late, ________?
Nós não estamos atrasados, ________?
5. He was at the party, ________?
Ele estava na festa, ________?
Answers:
1. She is your sister, isn't she?
Ela é sua irmã, não é?
2. You don't like fish, do you?
Você não gosta de peixe, gosta?
3. They can play the piano, can't they?
Eles sabem tocar piano, não sabem?
4. We aren't late, are we?
Nós não estamos atrasados, estamos?
5. He was at the party, wasn't he?
Ele estava na festa, não estava?
Translate and Add Question Tags
1. Você mora aqui, ________?
You live here, ________?
2. Ela não está cansada, ________?
She isn't tired, ________?
3. Eles vão viajar amanhã, ________?
They will travel tomorrow, ________?
4. Nós nunca estivemos lá, ________?
We have never been there, ________?
5. Ele não pode te ajudar, ________?
He can't help you, ________?
Answers:
1. Você mora aqui, não mora?
You live here, don't you?
2. Ela não está cansada, está?
She isn't tired, is she?
3. Eles vão viajar amanhã, não vão?
They will travel tomorrow, won't they?
4. Nós nunca estivemos lá, estivemos?
We have never been there, have we?
5. Ele não pode te ajudar, pode?
He can't help you, can he?