〜かもしれない

〜かもしれない expresses a possibility the speaker isn't sure about — it might happen, it might not: 雨が降るかもしれない (it might rain). The degree of certainty is clearly lower than でしょう・だろう; it feels like fifty-fifty or less.

Connection: plain form + かもしれない; nouns and な-adjectives connect directly, without adding だ: 学生かもしれない, 静かかもしれない. The polite form is かもしれません; in casual conversation it's often shortened to かも: 行けないかも (might not be able to go).

Don't confuse it with 〜はずです: はず is a grounded inference the speaker firmly believes; かもしれない only raises a vague possibility. Compare: 来るはずです (he's sure to come — he promised) and 来るかもしれません (he might come — who knows).

Examples

• 午後(ごご)から雨(あめ)が降(ふ)るかもしれません。

  It might rain starting this afternoon.

• 田中(たなか)さんはもう帰(かえ)ったかもしれません。

  Mr. Tanaka may have already gone home.

• 来年(らいねん)日本(にほん)へ行(い)けるかもしれません。

  I might be able to go to Japan next year.

Related patterns

• 〜はずです
• 〜だろう
• 〜かな