Saying “Maybe” with 可能
Use 可能 before a verb to say something might happen or might be true, and tell it apart from 可以 and 不可能.
Pattern
subject + 可能 (+ 不) + verb; 不可能 = impossible
可能 is a guess about what may be true; it never means “allowed”.
他可能不来了。
When to use Saying “Maybe” with 可能
可能 means “may, might”: it marks a guess, not a fact. Put it after the subject and before the verb: 他可能在家 “he might be at home”. For “might not”, add 不 after it: 可能不来. 不可能 is different: it means “impossible, there’s no way”.
今天晚上可能会下雨。
It might rain tonight.
老师可能在教室。
The teacher might be in the classroom.
这不可能！
That’s impossible!
他还没来，可能他忘了。
He’s not here yet; maybe he forgot.
Common traps
- To ask permission, say 我可以进来吗？, not 我可能进来吗？: 可能 only means “maybe”.
- 他可能不来 means “he might not come”, but 他不可能来 means “there’s no way he’ll come”; watch where 不 goes.
- Put 可能 before the verb, not at the end like English “maybe”: say 我可能晚到, not 我晚到可能.
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