Lezione 67 · Tappa 5: Passivo, discorso indiretto e domande
Le question tag
IntermedioQuestion tags
Forma e uso
…, isn't it? / …, don't you? — una breve domanda finale per conferma
1.Forma
Una question tag è virgola + ausiliare + pronome alla fine della frase. Una frase affermativa vuole una tag negativa; una frase negativa vuole una tag affermativa.
| Ausiliare | Affermativa → tag negativa | Negativa → tag affermativa |
|---|---|---|
| am / is / are | It's cold today, isn't it? | You aren't busy, are you? |
| do / does (present simple) | You like coffee, don't you? | He doesn't eat meat, does he? |
| did (past simple) | They left early, didn't they? | You didn't call, did you? |
| was / were | It was fun, wasn't it? | They weren't there, were they? |
| have / has (tempi perfect) | You've met Lan, haven't you? | She hasn't finished, has she? |
| will | You'll come, won't you? | It won't rain, will it? |
| can / could / should… | Mai can swim, can't she? | You can't drive, can you? |
- Se la frase ha un ausiliare (be, have, will, can…), ripeti quell'ausiliare. Se è al present simple o al past simple senza ausiliare, usa do / does / did.
- La tag usa sempre un pronome: Your parents are teachers, aren't they? / This is your bag, isn't it? (this/that → it; these/those → they).
- Le tag negative sono sempre contratte: isn't it, don't you, haven't they.
- Attenzione a 's e 'd: She's tired → isn't she; She's finished → hasn't she; You'd better → hadn't you; You'd rather → wouldn't you.
In italiano “vero?” o “no?” vanno bene con qualsiasi frase, ma in inglese “isn't it?” no: la tag deve concordare con l'ausiliare e con il soggetto — You like coffee, don't you? Se ti serve qualcosa di veloce in una conversazione informale, right? funziona con qualsiasi frase, proprio come il nostro “vero?”: You like coffee, right?
2.Quando si usa
1. Per verificare qualcosa che pensi sia vero
You're from Da Nang, aren't you?
Sei di Da Nang, vero?
The shop closes at nine, doesn't it?
Il negozio chiude alle nove, no?
2. Per fare conversazione e invitare l'altro a essere d'accordo: spesso sul tempo, sul cibo o su qualcosa che state vedendo tutti e due
The weather is lovely today, isn't it?
Che bella giornata oggi, vero?
That was a great film, wasn't it?
Era un film bellissimo, vero?
3. Richieste cortesi: frase negativa + tag affermativa suona modesta e gentile
You couldn't lend me your charger, could you?
Non è che mi presteresti il caricabatterie?
You haven't seen my glasses, have you?
Non è che hai visto i miei occhiali?
Rispondi a una question tag in base ai fatti, non al fatto che tu sia d'accordo o no con chi parla: You don't eat meat, do you? — No, I don't. (= non la mangio) / Yes, I do. (= sì, la mangio).
3.Casi particolari
| Caso | Esempio |
|---|---|
| I am → aren't I (I'm not → am I) | I'm late again, aren't I? / I'm not late, am I? |
| Let's → shall we | Let's go for a walk, shall we? |
| Imperativo → will you / would you / could you | Pass me the salt, will you? / Don't forget to lock the door, will you? |
| never, nothing, nobody, hardly, rarely… = negativa → tag affermativa | Your brother's never been abroad, has he? / Nothing went wrong, did it? |
| everyone, someone, nobody… → they | Everyone's here, aren't they? / Nobody called, did they? |
| everything, nothing → it | Everything is ready, isn't it? |
| there is / there are → there | There's a pharmacy near here, isn't there? |
| used to → didn't | Your grandfather used to be a teacher, didn't he? |
| have got → haven't / hasn't | You've got a new phone, haven't you? |
Una frase affermativa + tag affermativa (So you're moving to Hanoi, are you?) esprime sorpresa o interesse per una notizia appena sentita: non è un errore.
4.Intonazione: ascendente o discendente
La stessa tag ha significati diversi a seconda che la voce scenda ↘ o salga ↗ alla fine.
- Discendente ↘: sei abbastanza sicuro e ti aspetti solo che l'altro sia d'accordo.
- Ascendente ↗: non sei davvero sicuro e vuoi una risposta.
It's a beautiful day, isn't it? ↘
Che bella giornata, vero? (discendente: ti aspetti che l'altro sia d'accordo)
You've been to Hue, haven't you? ↗
Sei stato a Hue, vero? (ascendente: una vera domanda)
You haven't seen my keys, have you? ↗
Non hai mica visto le mie chiavi? (ascendente: speri che la risposta sia sì)
5.Errori comuni
You like coffee, isn't it?You like coffee, don't you?
La tag segue l'ausiliare e il soggetto della frase: like → don't, you → you.
She didn't come to class, didn't she?She didn't come to class, did she?
Frase negativa → tag affermativa.
Your parents are teachers, isn't it?Your parents are teachers, aren't they?
Soggetto plurale → are … they.
She's finished her homework, isn't she?She's finished her homework, hasn't she?
Qui 's significa has (has finished).
Everyone was tired after the hike, wasn't he?Everyone was tired after the hike, weren't they?
everyone → they, che va con were.
Don't forget to lock the door, don't you?Don't forget to lock the door, will you?
Le frasi all'imperativo vogliono la tag will you.
Esempi
- She works at a bank, doesn't she?
- They went to the beach yesterday, didn't they?
- These shoes look expensive, don't they?
- Your sister was working at the hospital last year, wasn't she?
