How to Use the French Expression Nest-ce Pas

The French expression  nest-ce  pas (pronounced nes-pah) is what grammarians call a tag question. Its a word or short phrase that is tagged on to the end of a statement, to turn it into a yes-or-no question. It is a  question  added to a  declarative sentence to engage, verify, or confirm. Question tags use the auxiliary verb in the opposite form of the sentence itself. If a sentence is negative, the question tag takes the positive form of the auxiliary verb, and vice versa. Most of the time, nest-ce  pas is used in conversation when the speaker, who already expects a certain response, asks a question mainly as a rhetorical device. Literally translated,  nest-ce pas  means is it not, though most speakers understand it to mean isnt it? or arent you? In English, tag questions often consist of the specific verb from the statement combined with not. In French, the verb is irrelevant; the tag question is just nest-ce pas. English tag questions right? and no? are similar in usage to nest-ce pas, though not in register. They are informal, whereas nest-ce pas  is formal. The informal French tag question equivalent is non?   Heres a quick review of principle tenses, the auxiliary form they take, and an example of a positive and a negative question tag for each tense. Examples and Usage Vous à ªtes prà ªt, nest-ce pas? –  Youre ready, arent you?Elle est belle, nest-ce pas? –  Shes beautiful, isnt she?Nous devons partir bientà ´t, nest-ce pas? –  We have to leave soon, dont we?Il a fait ses devoirs, nest-ce pas? –  He did his homework, didnt he?Ils peuvent nous accompagner, nest-ce pas? –  They can come with us, cant they?