jpg-content/🔰 Grammar/Possibility.md

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Possibility

でも

Used to list one or more possible options.

[!info] Example ジュース==でも==お茶==でも==飲もうか。 Shall we drink something like a juice or tea?

⚠ Do not confuse with TeF (4) - even if#Even if ても・でも.

か何か

か{何|なに}か means "or something". Used with nouns.

[!info] Example ジュース==か何か=={飲|の}もうか。 Shall we drink something like a juice?

かもしれない

Express a possibility, like "perhaps". By order of politeness: かもしれません > かもしれない > かも.

[!info] Example 今日も来る==かもしれない==。 He might come today too.

もしかしたら

Means "perhaps", "maybe". Usually completed by #かもしれない. Can be used as もしかしたら, もしかすると and もしかして.

[!info] Example ==もしかして=={今日|きょう}も{郵便局員|ゆうびんきょくいん}が来ません==かもしれない==。 Perhaps the postman will not come today either.

ことができる

Means "can", "able to". It has the same meaning as the potential form (see Conjugation Basics). 食べる => 食べられる = 食べることができる.

[!info] Example {英語|えいご}を{話|はな}す==ことが出来ない==。 I cannot speak English.

かどうか

Means "whether or not".

[!info] Example 行きたい==かどうか=={分|わ}からない。 I'm not sure if I want to go or not.

ないことはない

V (ない)

い-Adj い くない

な-Adj + ではない

N + ではない

+ ことはない

Means "not impossible to", "it is not that". Used with negative forms.

[!info] Example 本を{読|よ}ま==ないことはない==ですが、{最近|さいきん}は{暇|ひま}がない。 It's not that I don't read books, it's just that I don't have free time these days.

Means "or". Can be used when there is uncertainty between two or more choices. See Question#か.

又は

{又|また}は can be used for two things:

  • choosing between two options ("or")
  • listing two options ("both")

[!info] Example 日本語==又は==英語でしゃべれます。 I can speak both Japanese and English.

それとも

This is used to give a choice between a limited set of two options. It is casual.

[!info] Example 何が食べたい。ラーメン==それとも==カレーか。 What do you want to eat? Ramen or curry?