Translation guide
A guide to expressing the English tag question 'isn't it' in Japanese, covering confirmation, seeking agreement, and rhetorical use.
The speaker believes something is true and wants the listener to confirm it, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't that so?'
Attach ですね to a statement to seek polite confirmation. The ね particle softens the assertion and invites agreement.
It's hot today, isn't it?
This is your book, isn't it?
でしょう with rising intonation seeks confirmation, often when the speaker is fairly certain. Slightly more formal than ですね.
It'll rain tomorrow, won't it?
Used as a response meaning 'That's right, isn't it?' or to agree. Can also be used to seek confirmation when repeating back.
The speaker wants the listener to agree with their statement, similar to 'right?' or 'yeah?' among friends.
The casual version of 〜ですね. Attach ね directly to the plain form of a verb or adjective.
This ramen is delicious, isn't it?
Tomorrow's a holiday, isn't it?
A very casual, often regional (especially Kanto) way to seek agreement, similar to 'right?' or 'isn't it?'. Used among close friends.
That's good, isn't it?
Combines the casual copula だ with よね to strongly seek agreement. Often used when the speaker is confident.
This is weird, isn't it?
The speaker uses 'isn't it?' to emphasize a personal opinion or feeling, not necessarily expecting an answer.
A polite pattern that literally means 'isn't it?', but often used rhetorically to assert an opinion. Despite the negative form, it affirms the statement.
This design is lovely, isn't it?
The casual version of じゃないですか. Used to assert an opinion among friends.
This is a bit expensive, isn't it?
A very formal, written pattern used to present an opinion humbly. Often used in business or academic contexts.
When the main statement is negative, English often uses 'is it?' instead of 'isn't it?'. Japanese handles this differently.
English tag questions change based on the main verb and polarity (isn't it? / aren't you? / didn't they?). Japanese uses sentence-final particles like ね or でしょう regardless of the subject or tense. Avoid directly translating the pronoun and verb.
You're a student, aren't you?
He came, didn't he?
ね seeks agreement or confirmation, assuming shared knowledge. よ provides new information or emphasizes a point. Using よ when you should use ね can sound pushy.
This cake is delicious, isn't it? (assuming the listener agrees)
A: This movie is interesting, isn't it? B: Yes, it is.
This issue needs more discussion, doesn't it?
This cake is delicious! (telling the listener something they might not know)