Structure
Verb + かもしれない
［い］Adjective + かもしれない
［な］Adjective + かもしれない
Noun + かもしれない
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Standard
使用域
一般
About かもしれない
かもしれない is an expression in Japanese that is often treated as a single word, but is actually the combination of the particle かも, and the potential form of the う-Verb 知る (to know) with the auxiliary verb ない attached. かもしれない is regularly translated simply as 'might', or 'maybe', but the literal translation is much closer to 'even (A), we cannot know'.
To use かもしれない, attach it to the end of any verb, noun, な-Adjective or い-Adjective, in their non-polite (keigo) forms.
To use かもしれない, attach it to the end of any verb, noun, な-Adjective or い-Adjective, in their non-polite (keigo) forms.
- 来年から観光客が増えるかもしれない。From next year, the number of tourists might increase.
- あの建物は教会かもしれない。That building might be a church.
- 今日は無理かもしれない。It might not be possible today.
- そこの池は深いかもしれないから気を付けてね。That lake over there might be deep, so please be careful.
- 明日は休むかもしれません。I might take the day off tomorrow.
- 明日は休みだからドライブするかも。I have a day off tomorrow, so I might go for a drive.
- 財布を家に忘れてきたかもしらん。I might have left my wallet at home.
- 明日は夜遅くまで仕事があるから、行かないかもしれん。I have to work late tomorrow night, so I probably won’t go.
Synonyms
Examples
来年アメリカに行くかもしれない。
I might go to America next year.
このいい服を買えば、人気になるかもしれない。
If I buy these nice clothes, then I might become popular.
そのことを言わないほうがいいかもしれない。
It is maybe better to not say such things.
そうかもね。
That might be right.
彼は何も調べないで、日本に行くかもしれない。
He might go to Japan without researching anything.
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かもしれない – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (8 in total)
Superpnut
I recently got a review on this and received an useless hint.
Question was そのことを言わないほうがいい — to which I put in から
The blue hint text was : MaybeI received this:
maybe846×326 14...
wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV
I have a feeling that nuance hint is shown for any example sentence of this grammar point. It’s an unfortunate incongruity in this case. かな can in fact mean “maybe,” but usually in the context of thinking to oneself. For instance,
晩飯はピザを食べようかな。
Maybe I’ll eat pizza for dinner; or, I think I’ll eat pizza for dinner
かな and かもしれない aren’t synonymous, though. かな expresses doubt, reflection, or wishful thinking. かもしれない expresses the potential for something being or not being a certain way. Also, I don’t think you would generally use かな when making a suggestion to another.
But your point about the nuance note is cogent. I suggest using the
Reportbutton in the lower right-hand corner (it shows up when you get the answer wrong) whenever you find things like this to help draw awareness to the issue so the staff can correct it.
X11
the literal translation is much closer to ‘even (A), we cannot know’. should it not be "perhaps it’s not able to be known as かも means perhaps? "
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