Question Tags: gell? and oder?

Checking Questions: Gell? and Oder?

Level 3

To check that someone agrees, add gell? or oder? after a comma: Du kënns den Owend, gell? (You are coming tonight, right?) Dat ass flott, oder? (That is nice, isn't it?)

How It Works

1. Gell?
Gell means right? or won't you?. It works with every person and shows that you expect a yes:

  • Du kënns den Owend, gell? (You are coming tonight, right?)

There are also person forms: gelldu when you speak to one friend, and gellt when you use dir or polite Dir:

  • Du bass net midd, gelldu?
  • Dir sidd och vu Lëtzebuerg, gellt?

2. Oder?
Oder (literally or) is a little more open, like isn't it? or or not?:

  • Dat ass flott, oder? (That is nice, isn't it?)
  • Et ass kal haut, oder?

3. Word order and punctuation
The first part is a normal statement: the verb is in second place, as in The Verb Comes Second. Put a comma before the tag and a question mark at the end. Gell can also open the sentence, followed by a comma: Gell, du hëllefs mer muer?

4. Answering
Answer with jo or nee as usual: Du kënns den Owend, gell? – Jo, kloer!

For real questions that expect yes or no, see Yes or No Questions.

Examples (6)

  1. Du kënns den Owend, gell?

    You're coming tonight, right?

  2. Dat ass flott, oder?

    That's nice, isn't it?

  3. Dir sidd och vu Lëtzebuerg, gellt?

    You're from Luxembourg too, aren't you?

    Gellt is the form for dir and polite Dir.

  4. Du bass net midd, gelldu?

    You're not tired, are you?

    Gelldu is the form for du.

  5. Gell, du hëllefs mer muer?

    You'll help me tomorrow, won't you?

    Gell can also open the sentence.

  6. Et ass kal haut, oder?

    It's cold today, isn't it?

Common Mistakes

  • Copying an English-style tag with the verb.

    Du kënns den Owend, kënns du net?
    Du kënns den Owend, gell?

    Luxembourgish does not repeat the verb in a tag. Use gell or oder.

  • Using gellt with du.

    Du bass midd, gellt?
    Du bass midd, gell?

    Gellt goes with dir and Dir. With du, say gell or gelldu.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Question Tags: gell? and oder?Level 3Checking Questions: Gell? and Oder?

Learn This First

Before Checking Questions: Gell? and Oder?, learn Yes or No Questions and Or and But: Oder and Mee.

Words in This Pattern

gellodergelltgelldu