n'est-ce pas

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French n'est-ce pas.

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /nɛsˈpa/, /nɛsˈpɑː/

Phrase

n'est-ce pas

Used to form tag questions.
- 1935, Thomas Wolfe, Of Time and the River, page 763:
  I know him well, we artists have the common touch, n'est-ce pas?
- 2003, Richard Pevear, Larissa Volokhonsky, The Adolescent‎, translation of original by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, published 1875, page 527:
  It is just a little quarrel of two most worthy women, n'est-ce pas

French

Etymology

Literally, "is it not?"

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /n‿ɛs pɑ/

Phrase

n'est-ce pas

used as an expression of affirmation after a statement, often translated into English as a tag question

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