nè/hè

Tag Words: Nè and Hè

Level 2

Put nè? at the end of a statement to check that someone agrees: Dis warm, nè? (It's hot, isn't it?) Say hè? on its own when you did not hear or can't believe something: Hè? Wat sê jy? (Huh? What did you say?)

How It Works

1. Nè for agreement. Nè turns a statement into a check, like right?, isn't it? or don't you? It never changes, whatever the verb:

  • Dis warm, nè? (It's hot, isn't it?)
  • Jy kom môre, nè? (You're coming tomorrow, aren't you?)
  • Hulle het al geëet, nè? (They've already eaten, haven't they?)

2. The word order stays the same. The sentence before nè is an ordinary statement. Don't move the verb to the front. Just add , nè? at the end.

3. Hè as a reaction. On its own, hè? means huh? or what? Use it when you did not hear, or when something surprises you: Hè? Wat sê jy? (Huh? What did you say?) Some speakers also put hè at the end of a sentence, just like nè: Lekker, hè? (Nice, isn't it?)

4. Be polite. Nè and hè are casual. With someone you should show respect, say Ekskuus? (Pardon?) instead of hè. In formal writing you may see the tag nie waar nie? instead of nè: Dis 'n mooi stad, nie waar nie?

5. Spelling. Both words have a small accent mark on the e: nè, hè. Don't confuse hè (huh?) with the verb hê (to have), which has a kappie.

Examples (6)

  1. Dis warm vandag, nè?

    It's hot today, isn't it?

    Word by Word: It's warm today, right?

  2. Jy kom môre, nè?

    You're coming tomorrow, aren't you?

    Word by Word: You come tomorrow, right?

    The sentence stays a normal statement; only nè is added.

  3. Hulle het al geëet, nè?

    They've already eaten, haven't they?

    Word by Word: They have already eaten, right?

  4. Hè? Wat sê jy?

    Huh? What did you say?

    Word by Word: Huh? What say you?

    Hè on its own asks someone to repeat, or shows surprise.

  5. Die kos is lekker, hè?

    The food is tasty, isn't it?

    Word by Word: The food is tasty, huh?

    Some speakers use hè as a tag, just like nè.

  6. Dis 'n mooi stad, nie waar nie?

    It's a beautiful city, isn't it?

    Word by Word: It's a beautiful city, not true not?

    Nie waar nie is a more formal tag, seen mostly in writing.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing ne without the accent.

    Dis warm, ne?
    Dis warm, nè?

    The standard spelling is nè, with an accent on the e.

  • Writing the verb hê instead of hè.

    Hê? Wat sê jy?
    Hè? Wat sê jy?

    Hê with a kappie is the verb to have. The word for huh? is hè.

How It Connects

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nè/hèLevel 2Tag Words: Nè and Hè

Learn This First

Tag words turn a statement into a question that asks for agreement.

Words in This Pattern

nè