47187
I wanted to confirm that I do **not** have an private lesson tomorrow but I'm
not sure what to write. Often, negative questions as I write them seem to come
off as a positive question. Example

```

     5月9日にプライベート・レッソンの予約はありませんでしょうか？
    
```

That seems like it's a positive as in

```

     I have a private lesson reservation, don't I?
    
```

Whereas what I want to ask is

```

     I do **not** have a private lesson tomorrow right?
    
```

I end up guessing and wrote

```

     5月9日プライベート・レッソンを予約されてありませんでしょう。
    
```

Basically I just took the `か` off but something about that doesn't feel right
or doesn't feel actually polite.

Note I want to effectively say "I want to confirm there is **NO** lesson,
right?" and not "I want to confirm there _IS_ a lesson, right?"

The difference is important because by asking the positive "There's a lesson
right?" it will make people think that I believe there is a lesson and if they
forgot they'd better rush to get one ready quickly. Where as that is not my
intention. My intention is to confirm there is **no lesson**.

What is the correct way to politely confirm a negative situation?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-08T11:07:48.020
47184
2017-05-08T15:56:14.053
2017-05-08T15:56:14.053
17423
17423
question
negation
Asking politely about a negative
Natural and polite expression is

```

     5月9日のプライベート・レッスンは[予約]{よやく}されていませんでしょうか？
    
```

The last か is required for interrogative sentence.

It doesn't feel right without the か. (especially in case of politely confirm)
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-08T13:21:47.380
47187
2017-05-08T13:21:47.380
47184
answer