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Is there any difference in meaning or tone between these two and are they even both valid to begin with:

I suppose you don't have the keys with you?
I don't suppose you have the keys with you?

tchrist
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stackzebra
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  • The first would usually be used in a disparaging tone to indicate "you's" failure. The second is usually said in a hopeful tone and optimistically expects the answer "Yes, I do." – Greybeard Oct 23 '21 at 10:30
  • Many British people phrase questions indirectly to be polite, so instead of saying (e.g. in a shop) 'Do you stock XYZ?', they'll say 'I don't suppose you stock XYZ?', or, to a colleague, 'I don't suppose you've finished that report yet?'. There may be an implication of 'I won't be angry if the answer is "no"'. – Michael Harvey Oct 23 '21 at 11:45

1 Answers1

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They are both valid, though I would be more likely to use the second one. Both are often used in the hope that you do actually have the keys. Logically, if I was supposing nothing at all about the keys, I could use the second but not the first, and so the first sounds more pessimistic to me. In practice though they are often pretty much interchangeable.

Peter
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  • I'd argue that the first version is making a stronger statement - the speaker is expressing the belief that the person addressed does not have the keys. – user888379 Oct 23 '21 at 12:56
  • @user888379, indeed. As the first is true less often than the second it is a stronger statement. – Peter Oct 23 '21 at 13:01