Du kannst schwimmen, oder ?
Normally the german word “oder” means “or” in English. However, in this sentence “oder” cannot be translated literally. “Can’t you?” is a great little expression in english and you can use it in conversation.
The phrase turns a statement into a question in a friendly way and invites a response from the person you are talking with. It sounds less intrusive than a direct question like “Can you swim?”
Can’t you? Can’t we? Can’t he? You can use it, exactly the same way as the questioning “….oder?” is used in German.
Image credit: Photo by Rob Bye on Unsplash
