Preguntas Indirectas

Indirect Questions

En las preguntas indirectas el orden del sujeto y del verbo principal es

el mismo que en las frases afirmativas o negativas. Do you know where
she lives? . Nota : DQ = Direct Question, IQ = Indirect Question.
Am I/Am I not...? / Are/Aren't ( you, ...)..? / Is/Isn't (she, he, ...)...?
Was/Wasn't ( I, he, she, it...)...? Were/ Weren't (you, they...)...?

(DQ)Whom am I going to invite to my birthday party?

Aquinvoyainvitaramifiestadecumpleaos?
(IQ) I wonder whom I am going to invite to my birthday party.
Mepreguntoaquinvoyainvitaramifiestadecumpleaos.

(DQ)Why wasn't she happy with the result of the test?

Porquellanoestabacontentaconlosresultadosdelexamen?
(IQ)Could you tell me why she wasn't happy with the result of the test?
Podrasdecirmeporquellanoestabacontentaconlosresultadosdelexamen?
 Do/Don't( I, you ...)...? / Does/Doesn't ( he, she, it...)...?
Did (I, he, they...) ... ?
(DQ) What time does Margaret expect to be here?
A qu hora espera Margaret estar aqu?
(IQ) Could you tell me what time Margaret expects to be here?
Podras decirme a qu hora espera Margaret estar aqu?

(DQ) What else did the teachers say about me?

Qu ms dijeron los profesores sobre m?
(IQ) Could you repeat what else the teachers said about me?
Podras repetir qu ms dijeron los profesores sobre m?
Have/Haven't ( I, you, they...)...? / Has/Hasn't ( he, she, it...)...?
Had/Hadn't ( I, you, she...)...?
(DQ) What has Nick done for Sarah to be so upset?
Qu ha hecho Nick para que Sarah est tan enojada?
(IQ) I wonder what Nick has done for Sarah to be so upset.
Me pregunto qu ha hecho Nick para que Sarah est tan enojada.

(DQ) Where else had the robbers been hiding the jewels?
Dnde ms haban estado escondiendo las joyas los ladrones?
(IQ) The police asked me where else the robbers had been hiding the jewels.
La polica me pregunt dnde ms haban estado escondiendo las joyas los ladrones.
 Will/Won't ( )...?
Would/Wouldn't ( )...?
(DQ) Why else won't anybody tell Scott the truth?
Por qu otra razn nadie le dira la verdad a Scott?
(IQ) I wonder why else anybody won't tell Scott the truth.
Me pregunto por qu otra razn nadie le dira la verdad a Scott.

(DQ) When else would Peter invite Barbara?

En qu otra ocasin invitara Peter a Barbara?
(IQ) Does Sally know when else Peter would invite Barbara?
Sally sabe en qu otra ocasin invitara Peter a Barbara?
Can/Can't ( )...?
Could/Couldn't ( )...?
(DQ) How soon can the police come here to see what is happening?
Cun pronto puede venir la polica para ver qu sucede?
(IQ) The people at the street are asking how soon the police can come here to see what is
happening.
La gente en la calle est preguntando cun pronto puede venir la polica para ver qu sucede.

(DQ) Where could Tony and his wife come from if they live in the South?
De dnde podran venir Tony y su esposa si viven en el sur?
(IQ) I need to know where Tony and his wife could come from if they live in the South.
Necesito saber de dnde podran venir Tony y su esposa si viven en el sur.
 Question Tags
Laspreguntascoletilla
En ingls es frecuente terminar las frases con otra frase corta, de signo contrario, la cual tiene
la intencin de pedir la opinin o buscar la aprobacin del interlocutor: son las
llamadas question tags (preguntas coletillas). Estas frases equivalen a: verdad?, no es
verdad?, no?, no es as? en serio?
You eat meat, dont you?(Comescarne,verdad?)
She doesnt like to dance, does she?(Nolegustabailar,no?)
Alex and Sergio are friends, arent they?(AlexySergiosonamigos,no?)

Grammatical Rules (Reglas gramaticales)

Para formar esta pregunta corta utilizaremos el auxiliar de la frase principal y su
sujeto pero de signo contrario. Si no tuviera auxiliar entonces utilizaramos el
auxiliar to do.
Si la oracin es afirmativa, la pregunta coletilla es negativa y viceversa.

Oraciones afirmativas
Your brother is older than you, isnt he?(Tuhermanoesmayorquet,noesas?)
You can help me, cant you?(Puedesayudarme,verdad?)
John is getting married, isnt he?(Johnsecasar,verdad?)
You worked yesterday, didnt you?(Trabajasteayer,no?)
Sarah likes ice cream, doesnt she?(ASarahlegustaelhelado,no?)
 Question Tags
Laspreguntascoletilla

Oraciones negativas
Youre not from here, are you?(Noeresdeaqu,no?)
Kates not American, is she?(Katenoesamericana,verdad?)
Peter never liked Susan, did he?(APeternuncalegustSusan,verdad?)
They didnt go to class yesterday, did they?(Nofueronalaclaseayer,verdad?)
You cant dance, can you?(Nopuedesbailar,no?)

Nota: Ten cuidado con los verbos to have y to have got.

Ejemplos:
To have got:
Theyve got a dog, havent they?(Tienenunperro,no?)
To have:
They have a dog, dont they?(Tienenunperro,no?)

Excepcin: Con el verbo to be en la primera persona de oraciones negativas, se

usa arent en la pregunta coletilla.
I am not wrong, am I?
I am wrong, arent I?