• What they are (qué son)
• The rule (la regla)
• How to form them (cómo formarlas)
  • With be
  • With have (as auxiliary)
  • With modals
  • With will
  • With do/does/did (when there's no other auxiliary)
• Intonation matters (la entonación importa)

What they are (qué son)

A question tag is a short question at the end of a sentence. In Spanish, you use ¿verdad? or ¿no? English question tags are more complex because they change depending on the sentence.

🔹 Una question tag es una pregunta corta al final de una oración. En español, usamos ¿verdad? o ¿no? Las question tags del inglés son más complejas porque cambian según la oración.

The rule (la regla)

Positive sentence => negative tag. Negative sentence => positive tag.

🔹 Oración positiva => tag negativo. Oración negativa => tag positivo.

You are coming, aren't you? (Vienes, ¿no?)

She doesn't like coffee, does she? (A ella no le gusta el café, ¿verdad?)

He is a doctor, isn't he? (Es médico, ¿no?)

They haven't finished, have they? (No han terminado, ¿verdad?)

How to form them (cómo formarlas)

Use the auxiliary verb from the sentence. If there is no auxiliary, use do/does/did:

🔹 Usamos el verbo auxiliar de la oración. Si no hay auxiliar, usamos do/does/did:

With be

She is happy, isn't she?

They were late, weren't they?

With have (as auxiliary)

You have been to Paris, haven't you?

She has finished, hasn't she?

With modals

He can swim, can't he?

You would help me, wouldn't you?

She should go, shouldn't she?

With will

They will come, won't they?

It won't rain, will it?

With do/does/did (when there's no other auxiliary)

You like pizza, don't you?

She speaks French, doesn't she?

They went home, didn't they?

He doesn't work here, does he?

With I am, the tag is aren't I? (not amn't I?): I'm right, aren't I?

🔹 Con I am, la tag es aren't I? (no amn't I?): I'm right, aren't I?

Intonation matters (la entonación importa)

With rising intonation, a question tag is a genuine question - you don't know the answer:

🔹 Con entonación ascendente, una question tag es una pregunta genuina - no sabes la respuesta:

You don't have a car, do you? (rising - I'm not sure)

With falling intonation, a question tag is just seeking confirmation - you expect agreement:

🔹 Con entonación descendente, una question tag simplemente busca confirmación:

Nice day, isn't it? (falling - I expect you to agree)