JLPT N4 grammar

〜かもしれないmeaning and usage

Meaning

Might A; maybe A; perhaps A

This point is also listed at N3.

How to form it

  • verb (plain form)/い-adjectiveかもしれない
  • noun/な-adjective (stem)かもしれない

How it is used

“Might” or “maybe”: the speaker sees a possibility but is less sure than with 「でしょう」 or 「だろう」. The polite form is 「かもしれません」, and casual speech often shortens it to 「かも」. Nouns and な-adjectives take no 「だ」.

Examples

  1. それは本当かもしれない。

    It may be true.

  2. 午後から雪が降るかもしれません。

    It might snow from the afternoon.

  3. かぎがない。電車に忘れたかも。

    My keys are gone. I might have left them on the train.