Five-minute Spanish Lessons - Lesson 26.

Talking about possibility: common errors and observations.

Note the different ways to express "perhaps" and "maybe" in Spanish:

Quizá(s) mi hermano venga a verme la semana que viene.

Quizá(s) / Tal vez + subjunctive when referring to future event.

Perhaps my brother will come and see me next week.

Quizá(s) / Tal vez fuese (fue) un error.

Users may choose subjunctive or indicative when referring to past or present events:

It might have been a mistake.

Quizás ha sido / hay sido un error.

Perhaps it was a mistake.

Quizás fue / fuese un error.

A lo mejor + indicative always in present or past:

Maybe she's got a cold.

A lo mejor tiene un resfriado.

Puede que + subjunctive is also very popular in today's spoken Spanish:

Puede que llueva mañana pero lo dudo mucho.

It might rain tomorrow but I very much doubt it.

Puede que haya perdido el tren. Pasa siempre.

She may have missed the train. It's always happening.

Also, "igual" + indicative is common in speech especially in Spain:

Igual me quedo en casa esta noche.

I'll probably stay at home this evening.

Very common too is the use of "Es posible que + subjunctive":

Es posible que conozca la respuesta.

He may know the answer.

Interestingly, the Spanish cannot express the subtleties of "may" and "might"; the latter denoting less probability that the former:

I might leave early today. (speaker unsure)

Es posible que salga temprano hoy.

We may go abroad this year for our holidays. (feels confident he will)

Es posible que vayamos al extranjero este año para pasar las vacaciones.

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