「かもしれない」- Expressing Possibility
Explanation
In Japanese, the grammatical structure 〜かもしれない is used to indicate that something might be true based on a certain judgment or speculation. It is pronounced as 「かもしれない」 and can be shortened to 「かも」 in more casual conversations.
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 〜かもしれない | Verb plain form + かもしれない い-Adjective plain form + かもしれない な-Adjective stem + かもしれない Noun + かもしれない |
Indicates that something might happen, but the speaker has no definite evidence—it’s just a speculation. |
Basic Usage
〜かもしれない is used to express that something might happen, but the speaker has no clear evidence—it’s just a guess. Compared to more certain expressions like 「でしょう」 or 「はず」, 〜かもしれない indicates a lower level of certainty.
Examples
途 中 で雨 が降 るかもしれないから、傘 を持 って行 きましょう。- Tochuu de ame ga furu kamoshirenai kara, kasa o motte ikimashou.
- It might rain on the way, so let’s bring an umbrella.
彼 は先生 かもしれない。- Kare wa sensei kamoshirenai.
- He might be a teacher.
Deep Dive
〜かもしれない is highly versatile and effectively conveys the speaker’s speculation. It can be used in everyday conversations, written expressions, and various other contexts. Its flexibility makes it suitable for many situations, especially when expressing uncertainty.
Real-Life Scenarios
- In weather forecasts, 〜かもしれない is used to describe possible weather changes.
- When discussing future plans, this structure can express uncertainty, for example: 「
明日 、会議 に行 くかもしれない。」 (I might go to the meeting tomorrow).
Summary
〜かもしれない is a grammatical structure used to express uncertainty and possibility. It is commonly used to describe situations that might happen without clear evidence. By comparing it with similar grammar points, you can better understand its usage and the level of certainty it conveys.