negativequestion

A negative question is a type of interrogative sentence that contains negation within the question clause. In English, these are typically formed with an auxiliary verb and not, often contracted, as in Didn't you go to the party? Aren't you coming with us? The concept appears in many languages, though the exact mechanics of negation and word order can differ.

The primary function of a negative question is to seek confirmation or clarification. The negative form often signals that the speaker expects a particular answer, or is challenging the addressee in some way. The interpretation is influenced by context and prosody: the same sentence can be used to confirm information, to express surprise, skepticism, or irony, depending on how it is spoken and in what situation it occurs.

Common examples in English include:

- Didn't you see that?

- Isn't this the right room?

- Aren't you going to finish your assignment?

Negative questions are distinct from tag questions, which attach a short clause such as wouldn’t you? to a declarative statement (You went, didn’t you?). While both seek confirmation, a negative question contains negation inside the main clause rather than a separate tag.

Cross-linguistically, negative questions appear with language-specific negation markers and word orders. For instance, Spanish forms ¿No quieres venir? with negation preceding or integrated into the question, while German can use non-contracted forms like Willst du nicht mitkommen? The exact usage and nuance vary by language and discourse context.