diff --git a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
index 0d078411..945b3b1f 100644
--- a/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
+++ b/cli/src/tests/query_test.rs
@@ -82,18 +82,29 @@ fn test_query_errors_on_invalid_syntax() {
                 1,
                 [
                     "((identifier) ()", //
-                    "                ^",
+                    "               ^",
                 ]
                 .join("\n")
             ))
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            Query::new(language, r#"((identifier) @x (eq? @x a"#),
+            Query::new(language, r#"((identifier) (#a)"#),
             Err(QueryError::Syntax(
                 1,
                 [
-                    r#"((identifier) @x (eq? @x a"#,
-                    r#"                          ^"#,
+                    "((identifier) (#a)", //
+                    "                  ^",
+                ]
+                .join("\n")
+            ))
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            Query::new(language, r#"((identifier) @x (#eq? @x a"#),
+            Err(QueryError::Syntax(
+                1,
+                [
+                    r#"((identifier) @x (#eq? @x a"#,
+                    r#"                           ^"#,
                 ]
                 .join("\n")
             ))
@@ -136,18 +147,23 @@ fn test_query_errors_on_invalid_conditions() {
 
         assert_eq!(
             Query::new(language, "((identifier) @id (@id))"),
-            Err(QueryError::Predicate(
-                "Expected predicate to start with a function name. Got @id.".to_string()
+            Err(QueryError::Syntax(
+                1,
+                [
+                    "((identifier) @id (@id))", //
+                    "                   ^"
+                ]
+                .join("\n")
             ))
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            Query::new(language, "((identifier) @id (eq? @id))"),
+            Query::new(language, "((identifier) @id (#eq? @id))"),
             Err(QueryError::Predicate(
-                "Wrong number of arguments to eq? predicate. Expected 2, got 1.".to_string()
+                "Wrong number of arguments to #eq? predicate. Expected 2, got 1.".to_string()
             ))
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            Query::new(language, "((identifier) @id (eq? @id @ok))"),
+            Query::new(language, "((identifier) @id (#eq? @id @ok))"),
             Err(QueryError::Capture(1, "ok".to_string()))
         );
     });
@@ -1158,13 +1174,13 @@ fn test_query_captures_with_text_conditions() {
             language,
             r#"
             ((identifier) @constant
-             (match? @constant "^[A-Z]{2,}$"))
+             (#match? @constant "^[A-Z]{2,}$"))
 
              ((identifier) @constructor
-              (match? @constructor "^[A-Z]"))
+              (#match? @constructor "^[A-Z]"))
 
             ((identifier) @function.builtin
-             (eq? @function.builtin "require"))
+             (#eq? @function.builtin "require"))
 
              (identifier) @variable
             "#,
@@ -1207,13 +1223,13 @@ fn test_query_captures_with_predicates() {
             language,
             r#"
             ((call_expression (identifier) @foo)
-             (set! name something)
-             (set! cool)
-             (something! @foo omg))
+             (#set! name something)
+             (#set! cool)
+             (#something! @foo omg))
 
             ((property_identifier) @bar
-             (is? cool)
-             (is-not? name something))"#,
+             (#is? cool)
+             (#is-not? name something))"#,
         )
         .unwrap();
 
@@ -1259,13 +1275,13 @@ fn test_query_captures_with_quoted_predicate_args() {
             language,
             r#"
             ((call_expression (identifier) @foo)
-             (set! one "\"something\ngreat\""))
+             (#set! one "\"something\ngreat\""))
 
             ((identifier)
-             (set! two "\\s(\r?\n)*$"))
+             (#set! two "\\s(\r?\n)*$"))
 
             ((function_declaration)
-             (set! three "\"something\ngreat\""))
+             (#set! three "\"something\ngreat\""))
             "#,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -1403,7 +1419,7 @@ fn test_query_captures_with_many_nested_results_with_fields() {
                 consequence: (member_expression
                     object: (identifier) @right)
                 alternative: (null))
-             (eq? @left @right))
+             (#eq? @left @right))
             "#,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -1689,7 +1705,7 @@ fn test_query_start_byte_for_pattern() {
     .trim_start();
 
     let patterns_3 = "
-        ((identifier) @b (match? @b i))
+        ((identifier) @b (#match? @b i))
         (function_declaration name: (identifier) @c)
         (method_definition name: (identifier) @d)
     "
diff --git a/cli/src/tests/tags_test.rs b/cli/src/tests/tags_test.rs
index 41907a3c..9bfd1f56 100644
--- a/cli/src/tests/tags_test.rs
+++ b/cli/src/tests/tags_test.rs
@@ -6,46 +6,58 @@ use tree_sitter_tags::c_lib as c;
 use tree_sitter_tags::{Error, TagKind, TagsConfiguration, TagsContext};
 
 const PYTHON_TAG_QUERY: &'static str = r#"
-((function_definition
-  name: (identifier) @name
-  body: (block . (expression_statement (string) @doc))) @function
- (strip! @doc "(^['\"\\s]*)|(['\"\\s]*$)"))
+(
+    (function_definition
+      name: (identifier) @name
+      body: (block . (expression_statement (string) @doc))) @function
+    (#strip! @doc "(^['\"\\s]*)|(['\"\\s]*$)")
+)
+
 (function_definition
   name: (identifier) @name) @function
-((class_definition
-  name: (identifier) @name
-  body: (block . (expression_statement (string) @doc))) @class
- (strip! @doc "(^['\"\\s]*)|(['\"\\s]*$)"))
+
+(
+    (class_definition
+        name: (identifier) @name
+        body: (block
+            . (expression_statement (string) @doc))) @class
+    (#strip! @doc "(^['\"\\s]*)|(['\"\\s]*$)")
+)
+
 (class_definition
   name: (identifier) @name) @class
+
 (call
   function: (identifier) @name) @call
 "#;
 
 const JS_TAG_QUERY: &'static str = r#"
-((*
+(
     (comment)+ @doc .
     (class_declaration
-        name: (identifier) @name) @class)
- (select-adjacent! @doc @class)
- (strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)"))
+        name: (identifier) @name) @class
+    (#select-adjacent! @doc @class)
+    (#strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)")
+)
 
-((*
+(
     (comment)+ @doc .
     (method_definition
-        name: (property_identifier) @name) @method)
- (select-adjacent! @doc @method)
- (strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)"))
+        name: (property_identifier) @name) @method
+    (#select-adjacent! @doc @method)
+    (#strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)")
+)
 
-((*
+(
     (comment)+ @doc .
     (function_declaration
-        name: (identifier) @name) @function)
- (select-adjacent! @doc @function)
- (strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)"))
+        name: (identifier) @name) @function
+    (#select-adjacent! @doc @function)
+    (#strip! @doc "(^[/\\*\\s]*)|([/\\*\\s]*$)")
+)
 
 (call_expression function: (identifier) @name) @call
-  "#;
+"#;
 
 const RUBY_TAG_QUERY: &'static str = r#"
 (method
@@ -55,7 +67,7 @@ const RUBY_TAG_QUERY: &'static str = r#"
     method: (identifier) @name) @call
 
 ((identifier) @name @call
- (is-not? local))
+ (#is-not? local))
 "#;
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/lib/binding_rust/lib.rs b/lib/binding_rust/lib.rs
index a13d9168..c0aba32f 100644
--- a/lib/binding_rust/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/binding_rust/lib.rs
@@ -1271,13 +1271,13 @@ impl Query {
                     "eq?" | "not-eq?" => {
                         if p.len() != 3 {
                             return Err(QueryError::Predicate(format!(
-                                "Wrong number of arguments to eq? predicate. Expected 2, got {}.",
+                                "Wrong number of arguments to #eq? predicate. Expected 2, got {}.",
                                 p.len() - 1
                             )));
                         }
                         if p[1].type_ != type_capture {
                             return Err(QueryError::Predicate(format!(
-                                "First argument to eq? predicate must be a capture name. Got literal \"{}\".",
+                                "First argument to #eq? predicate must be a capture name. Got literal \"{}\".",
                                 string_values[p[1].value_id as usize],
                             )));
                         }
@@ -1301,19 +1301,19 @@ impl Query {
                     "match?" => {
                         if p.len() != 3 {
                             return Err(QueryError::Predicate(format!(
-                                "Wrong number of arguments to match? predicate. Expected 2, got {}.",
+                                "Wrong number of arguments to #match? predicate. Expected 2, got {}.",
                                 p.len() - 1
                             )));
                         }
                         if p[1].type_ != type_capture {
                             return Err(QueryError::Predicate(format!(
-                                "First argument to match? predicate must be a capture name. Got literal \"{}\".",
+                                "First argument to #match? predicate must be a capture name. Got literal \"{}\".",
                                 string_values[p[1].value_id as usize],
                             )));
                         }
                         if p[2].type_ == type_capture {
                             return Err(QueryError::Predicate(format!(
-                                "Second argument to match? predicate must be a literal. Got capture @{}.",
+                                "Second argument to #match? predicate must be a literal. Got capture @{}.",
                                 result.capture_names[p[2].value_id as usize],
                             )));
                         }
diff --git a/lib/src/query.c b/lib/src/query.c
index 801b98e2..49cbb92f 100644
--- a/lib/src/query.c
+++ b/lib/src/query.c
@@ -567,8 +567,20 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_predicate(
   TSQuery *self,
   Stream *stream
 ) {
-  if (stream->next == ')') return PARENT_DONE;
-  if (stream->next != '(') return TSQueryErrorSyntax;
+  if (!stream_is_ident_start(stream)) return TSQueryErrorSyntax;
+  const char *predicate_name = stream->input;
+  stream_scan_identifier(stream);
+  uint32_t length = stream->input - predicate_name;
+  uint16_t id = symbol_table_insert_name(
+    &self->predicate_values,
+    predicate_name,
+    length
+  );
+  array_back(&self->predicates_by_pattern)->length++;
+  array_push(&self->predicate_steps, ((TSQueryPredicateStep) {
+    .type = TSQueryPredicateStepTypeString,
+    .value_id = id,
+  }));
   stream_advance(stream);
   stream_skip_whitespace(stream);
 
@@ -703,35 +715,16 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
     return PARENT_DONE;
   }
 
-  // Parse a parenthesized node expression
+  // Parse either:
+  // * A parenthesized sequence of nodes
+  // * A predicate
+  // * A named node
   else if (stream->next == '(') {
     stream_advance(stream);
     stream_skip_whitespace(stream);
 
-    // At the top-level, a nested list represents one root pattern followed by
-    // zero-or-more predicates.
-    if (stream->next == '(' && depth == 0) {
-      TSQueryError e = ts_query__parse_pattern(self, stream, 0, capture_count, is_immediate);
-      if (e) return e;
-
-      // Parse the predicates.
-      stream_skip_whitespace(stream);
-      for (;;) {
-        TSQueryError e = ts_query__parse_predicate(self, stream);
-        if (e == PARENT_DONE) {
-          stream_advance(stream);
-          stream_skip_whitespace(stream);
-          return 0;
-        } else if (e) {
-          return e;
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    // When nested inside of a larger pattern, a nested list just represents
-    // multiple sibling nodes which are grouped, possibly so that a postfix
-    // operator can be applied to the group.
-    else if (depth > 0 && (stream->next == '(' || stream->next == '"' )) {
+    // If this parenthesis is followed by a node, then it represents grouping.
+    if (stream->next == '(' || stream->next == '"') {
       bool child_is_immediate = false;
       for (;;) {
         if (stream->next == '.') {
@@ -755,7 +748,16 @@ static TSQueryError ts_query__parse_pattern(
 
         child_is_immediate = false;
       }
-    } else {
+    }
+
+    // This parenthesis is the start of a predicate
+    else if (stream->next == '#') {
+      stream_advance(stream);
+      return ts_query__parse_predicate(self, stream);
+    }
+
+    // Otherwise, this parenthesis is the start of a named node.
+    else {
       TSSymbol symbol;
 
       // Parse the wildcard symbol