Skip to content
HSK 2.0 Level 4+ HSK 3.0 Level 4+ 5 min read

也许 and 恐怕 for “Perhaps” and “I’m Afraid”

Use 也许 for a neutral guess and 恐怕 for a guess about something you would rather not happen.

Pattern

(subject) + 也许 / 恐怕 + predicate

Both adverbs mark a guess; 也许 is neutral, while 恐怕 adds “I’m afraid” when the likely result is unwelcome.

这么晚了，商店恐怕已经关门了。

When to use 也许 and 恐怕 for “Perhaps” and “I’m Afraid”

也许 and 恐怕 are adverbs that turn a statement into a guess. Put them before the verb phrase, either after the subject or at the very start of the sentence.

他也许还在路上，我们再等一会儿吧。

Maybe he’s still on his way. Let’s wait a little longer.

也许明天会下雨，你带把伞吧。

It might rain tomorrow, so take an umbrella.

对不起，恐怕我今天去不了了。

Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t make it today.

这件事恐怕没那么简单。

I’m afraid this isn’t as simple as it looks.

Common traps

  • Don’t put 很 or 不 before 也许 or 恐怕; use 很可能 or 不可能 instead.
  • 恐怕 is the adverb “I’m afraid”; for real fear use 害怕, and for “scary” use 可怕.
  • Use 恐怕 for results you don’t want; for a cheerful guess, 也许 or 可能 sounds more natural.

Targeted drill

Practice this exact pattern before moving on.

A：你周末去哪儿？B：还没想好， 去爬山，也许在家看书

A: Where are you going this weekend? B: I haven’t decided. Maybe hiking, maybe staying home to read
Fill in the missing piece, then press Enter

How we make our content