How can I say "maybe, perhaps"?

[derick78b]

Hey guys,

I've been looking for some words and I got a problem.
These 4 words mean "maybe, perhaps", but I don't know which one is more "popular" or if there's a rule to use them.

Can you help me out telling me which one is the most used and could you please write a sentence with it just to know where I put it?

もしかすると
もしかしたら
ことにすると
ひょっとすると


Thank you very much.

 

[Toritoribe]

It's not ことにすると but ことによると.

Those words are usually "less-possible" than "maybe/perhaps". 多分[たぶん]/恐[おそ]らく would be the best choice. (The former sounds more colloquial.)

 

[derick78b]

It's not ことにすると but ことによると.

Those words are usually "less-possible" than "maybe/perhaps". 多分[たぶん]/恐[おそ]らく would be the best choice. (The former sounds more colloquial.)

Oh, thanks.

But should I use them in the beginning, middle or ending of the sentence?

For example:

多分明日学校に行きます。
Perhaps (Maybe) I'll go to the school tomorrow.


Thank you,

byebye

 

[Toritoribe]

Both 多分明日学校に行きます and 明日多分学校に行きます are OK. The order of the words can be changed depending on where the emphasis is put.

多分学校に明日行きます。
明日学校に多分行きます。
学校に多分明日行きます。
学校に明日多分行きます。

These are all acceptable.

 

[derick78b]

Thank you Toritoribe.

That helped me out a lot.

Thank you once more.

Byebye

 

[Toritoribe]

FYI, notice that the nuance of 多分/恐らく can be changed depending on the context. 多分明日学校に行きます is more close to "I'll probably go to school tomorrow". I would say 明日学校に行くかもしれません for "Perhaps/Maybe I'll go to school tomorrow".

 

[derick78b]

FYI, notice that the nuance of 多分/恐らく can be changed depending on the context. 多分明日学校に行きます is more close to "I'll probably go to school tomorrow". I would say 明日学校に行くかもしれません for "Perhaps/Maybe I'll go to school tomorrow".

Why not かも知れない?

Thank you.

 

[Toritoribe]

Both are correct. かもしれない would be more common as a set phrase.

google search result
かもしれない 369,000,000
かも知れない 58,800,000

 

[derick78b]

Both are correct. かもしれない would be more common as a set phrase.

google search result
かもしれない 369,000,000
かも知れない 58,800,000

Sorry Toritoribe but I think you haven't understood me well. :roflmao:

You said 明日学校に行くかもしれません

I asked why かもしれません and not かも知れない.


Thank you.

 

[Toritoribe]

...Uh, don't you know the polite form?

行く vs. 行きます

 

[derick78b]

...Uh, don't you know the polite form?

行く vs. 行きます

Yes, I do.

But I still didn't know why you used かもしれません and not かもしれない.

Can you please, explain?

byebye

 

[Rei Yahya]

Yes, I do.

But I still didn't know why you used かもしれません and not かもしれない.

Can you please, explain?

byebye

There could be nuances, but in my understanding かもしれません is polite form and かもしれない is casual. I've heard just plain かも by itself but as a student I'd stick with the safer versions (shiremasen or shirenai).

 

[Toritoribe]

Yes, I do.

But I still didn't know why you used かもしれません and not かもしれない.

Can you please, explain?

byebye

Just because YOU used the polite form in YOUR example sentence.

多分明日学校に行きます。

 

[derick78b]

Oh...

Thank you!